196 
COMBER. 
fish; for, although wholesome, and even delicate for the table, 
their inferior size causes them to be little valued. Their usual 
food appears to be the smaller crustacean animals and small 
fishes; but I have found Ophiurm (Slender Snake Star-fishes) 
and encrusting corrallines (Lepralise) 'n their stomach. 
A supposition of ancient date was, that the males and 
females of this species were united in one, or were hermaph- 
rodites; but although the structure of the ovaries offers some 
peculiarities, there is reason to believe that the sexes are 
distinct as in other fishes. Professor Owen was not able to 
discover anything but the grains of spawn in these organs, 
as they were sent to him for examination with a microscope; 
and I have no doubt of having myself distinctly seen the 
existence of a separate milt. There is, however, some peculiarity 
in these organs, for at that portion of the ovary where it 
enters the duct that conveys the spawn or milt, there is a 
small bag-like sac, and at the outlet of the passage from 
whence the roe is discharged, an organ, which, under ordi- 
nary circumstances, has its orifice turned inward; but on 
pressing the body the direction of the part is reversed and 
the outlet is rendered capable of conveying the discharge to 
the distance of half an inch. When the pressure is removed 
this organ resumes a twisted shape, and returns to its situation 
within the body. Late in the spring and in the summer I 
have found the spawn running freely from one ovary, and 
nearly as much advanced in the other, thus shewing that the 
process is not ended within a very small duration. 
This fish also obtained notice in ancient times, from the 
fact that its death was always attended with a spasm which 
caused its fins to stand erect and its mouth to be widely 
open. I have never met with more than a single instance in 
which the contrary to this was the case, and from this pecu- 
liarity it was that among the Greeks it obtained the name of 
Chance and Channos, or the Gaper. Some writers indeed are 
persuaded that this habit of gaping is natural to it at all 
times, and that it is produced by the structure of the jaws; 
but there is no doubt that this latter supposition is built on 
a mistake, and that when alive the mouth is closed as in 
other fishes. 
In reference to this fish and the S. scriba, it may create 
