248 
DEALPTSH. 
the bottom in water of the depth of two or three fathoms, where 
their silvery colour renders them easy to be perceived; and as 
their motions are slow, the fishermen experience no difficulty 
in laying hold of them with a hook, and drawing them irp as 
they would a dead Seal. When they move it is something 
like a Flounder, with one side turned obliquely upward, and 
when resting at the bottom the left side is always toumi-ds the 
ground, (which is judged to be the reason that both sides 
are not exactly alike.) In all these particirlars their motions 
resemble those of the Flat fishes, f Fleur onetidee. J It is scarcely 
known what is their food, but it is supposed to consist of 
crustacean animals and mollusks. The fishermen of Finland 
report that when alive this fish is very fat, and its sides round; 
but the fat is so liquid and oily, that it runs from the body 
as soon as the fish is dead; and then its shape becomes thin 
and flat. The fish when caught are sold to the Russians of 
Archangel, who purchase them for the sake of the fat. 
The description by Dr. Giinther is thus given: — The greatest 
height of the body is at its central part, where it is contained 
five times and a half in its length, while the height at the 
nuchal region is nearly one seventh of the total, or equal to 
the length of the head. Muzzle truncated; cleft of the mouth 
subvertical; upper jaw very protractile. The maxillary teeth 
are thin, conical, and pointed, nearly recumbent, with the apex 
turned towards the pharynx; two on each side of the upper 
jaw, three or four on each side of the lower; one or two single 
pointed teeth on the vomer, none on the palatine bones. The 
superior pharyngeal bones are studded with pointed curved 
teeth. The eye is situated near the frontal profile, and its 
diameter is two sevenths of the length of the head. Interoper- 
culum nearly as large as the operculum. The short pectoral 
fin is situated nearer to the ventral margin than to the lateral 
line. The anterior five dorsal rays arc somewhat detached from 
the others, and appear to be produced; the rays are quite 
smooth, slender, flexible, without the slightest trace of transverse 
joints; they are dilated inferiorly into a saddle-shaped shield, 
with a short curved point in the centre; a number of small 
sharp bodies appear along the root of the fin. The vertically 
raised caudal fin contains eight rays, the outer ones of which 
are longer than the six middle ones; the two central rays ar'e 
