144 
BOAKFISH. 
forming a nearly equilateral triangle witli the base above. The 
rim of the lower jaw is attached loosely to the anterior side 
of the triangle, and when the mouth is closed the whole of 
this mechanism resembles a mystache. It is not easy to imagine 
a more skilfully-constructed contrivance than this of the 
Boarfish’s mouth for sudden motion in the capture of the very 
small but nimble creatures on which it feeds. The teeth are 
small. Scales numerous, large, finely serrated and ciliated, so 
that the surface of the body has a beautiful silky appearance, 
over which if the hand be passed backward it feels smooth, 
but rough in the reverse. The lateral line is not well marked, 
but is plainly apparent through the first third of its length, 
and may be traced throughout. It rises about the fourth of 
an inch behind the eye, arches upward near the dorsal fin, 
and afterwards is bent down. Origin of the dorsal, ventral, 
and pectoral fins nearly in a straight line, that of the latter 
being rather in advance. First ray of the first dorsal very 
stout, very short, and almost unconnected with the others; 
second ray five times as long as the first, and curved backward, 
as are all the others; the third is the longest, after which the 
remainder become shorter. All these rays stout, and, with 
the exception of the first three, are stoutest at the middle; 
they are longitudinally striated, and the first three are more 
elevated at their root than the others; no scales at their base. 
The second dorsal is soft and placed on a ridge. In the 
abdominal fin the membrane does not extend to the end of 
the soft rays. In none of these specimens were the first rays 
of the dorsal fin serrated, but the first ray of the ventral was 
strongly so. The tail straight. Colour of the eye, when 
recent, bright yellow and silvery white; of the body fine 
crimson, delicately bright, faded into yellow, and from thence 
to a silvery white as it approached the belly. In none of 
them were there lateral bands, as are sometimes described, and 
as was the case with an example at Falmouth. In the specimen 
obtained at Polperro the rays of the ventral fins were purple 
at their points and red at the root. Rays in the first dorsal 
fin nine, in the second twenty -four; in the pectoral thirteen; 
ventral six; anal twenty-seven, of which the first three are 
spinous; caudal fourteen. 
