48 
NATURAL HISTORY. [UPPER FLOOR. 
and from the spines of their dorsal fin being very thin and 
flexible, but not jointed as in all the soft finned fishes. 
Many species of this family are viviparous. 
The Wolf Fish ( Anarrhichas ) differs from the other Blen- 
nies by the jaws and palate being armed with large tuber¬ 
cular teeth, to which the fossil Bufonites were formerly re¬ 
ferred. The gall of this fish is used as soap by the Ice¬ 
landers, who compare its flesh to that of the eel. 
The Anglers ( LGphius ) have the bones of the carpus or 
wrist elongated, so that the pectoral fin appears to be placed 
on an arm. Their skeleton is very soft, nearly cartilaginous, 
and their skin destitute of scales. They are very vora¬ 
cious, and from the small size of the opening of the gills, 
can live a long time out of the water. The common An¬ 
gler ( Lophius piscatorius) has an enormous, flattened head, 
forming the chief bulk of the fish, and a tail so compressed 
on each side that the creature seems composed of little else 
than head and tail. On the former, before the eyes, are 
two long rays, or filaments, of a horny substance, and four 
others, of a similar nature, but shorter, on the back, and 
the lower jaw is furnished with numerous vermicular ap¬ 
pendages, or tentacula. This animal, according to Bloch, 
conceals itself amongst marine plants, or behind hillocks 
of sand, rocks and stones, when it opens its great mouth, 
and attracts the fish as they swim by, by wriggling the 
long filaments on its head, wdiich they mistake for worms, 
and attempting to seize them, fall an easy prey to their 
voracious and subtle enemy. The hideous appearance of 
its monstrous, and almost constantly open mouth, well 
armed with teeth, has probably gained for the Angler the 
vulgar name of Sea Devil. 
The Hand Fish ( Chironectes) has a compressed head 
and body, a smaller mouth, and the first dorsal fin placed 
between the eyes. The first ray of that fin is often free, 
and terminates in a series of small tentacula which the fish 
uses as a bait for taking its prey, after the manner of the 
Angler. It has the faculty of inflating its large stomach 
with air and giving itself the form of a balloon, like 
several of the Gymnodontes*; and by means of its pedi- 
celled pectoral fins can crawl on land ; it can exist two or 
three days out of the water. 
* See p. 53. 
