114 
THE THORN BACK. 
The fifties of this fpecics at e found ip great plenty, and 
make a confidevable article in our fifn markets. They 
are fond of devouring herring, mackrel, and eels ; but 
their common food is probably the different kinds of 
ground filli ; cruftaceous animals, fuch as the crab and 
lobfter, have been found in their ftomachs, which are fup= 
plied with a powerful folvent, capable of fpeedily re- 
ducing the fti ells into a chyle fit for their fppport. 
