200 
NATORAI. HISTORY 
FATHER LASHER. 
The fish called the Father Lasher is about 
six or seven inches in length, and is chiefly 
to be found in the Baltic Sea and Northern 
Ocean. The head and forepart of the body 
is very large, in proportion to its size; the 
hinder part, towards the tail, waxing less. 
The mouth is very wide, and the upper jaw 
is rather longer than the lower. The body 
is of a brown, or dusky colour, and the belly 
white. It has no scales ; it feeds upon 
shrimps and other small fish. It is supposed 
to derive its name from the very quick and 
repeated manner of lashing its tail, when 
caught and thrown upon the sand. It is said 
that, the inhabitants of Greenland are very 
partial to its flesh for food. They are some- 
times to be found on the rocky shores of this 
island. 
