PLATE XCVII. 
Several specimens of this splendid fish have been captured or cast 
ashore upon our coasts, notwithstanding which we cannot hesitate to 
*^nsider it as a scarce fish. Its appearance on our coasts has been 
periods very remote from eacli other, and we think it not impro- 
■^We that it has seldom occurred without being duly noticed by some 
^telligent, if not very scientific characters. We are inclined to 
*’tspect that several of the British species of fish much less rare than 
'fie Ppah have hitherto been considered more uncommon, eitlier 
^^cause they are deficient of beauty, singularity, or magnitude, to 
‘^^eornmend them to the immediate attention of general observers, 
^*>d that, from their localiry, they have rarely occurred to the obser- 
''®hon of naturalists. The Opah is, on the contrary, a superlatively 
P’Jtnd and striking object, such as would naturally arrest remark, and 
" ts therefore not unlikelythat in almost every instance of its being 
'•^ptured on our coast, it has excited so much curiosity as to be re- 
'-°rded in some of the diurnal prints ; and the description of such a 
^*fi> if only slightly accurate, could not easily be mistaken. 
The Opah is described by Sibbald, in his History of Scotland, under 
^fic title of Pisces maculis aspersus nan sct'iptus pollices, 42 longus, 
^''d figured in the sixth plate of that work. Mr. Pennant tells us, 
•I 
have only five instances of this fish being taken in our seas, 
^'^ur of them in the north, viz. twice off Scotland, once off Nor- 
'fitiiTiberland, one in Fileybay, Yorksire, and a fifth at Brixhain 
Torbay, in 1772 .” 
The first account we have of the Opah that merits paiticular ob- 
^''^ation appeared in the Philosophical Transactions for the year 
"^■^0. This was drawn up by Dr. Mortimer, from a specimen of 
fish, captured on the shore of Leith, and submitted about that 
1^'iod to the inspection of the Royal Society. Dr. Mortimer’s 
