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emy to the dog fish, the bodies of those fierce and voracious animals beirg often found in its stomach: whenever they take it, therefore, they always set it at liberty. It is found in Brazil and China; and generally keeps at the bottom of the water, among sea-weed or between stones.

THE DIODON, OR SUN FISH,

Is easily distinguished by its very peculiar form; having a very deep body, and, as it were, cut off in the middle. There are three well known species.

The OBLONG DIODON grows to an immense size, and has been known to weigh upwards of five hundred pounds. In its form it resembles a bream or carp cut off in the middle. The mouth is very small, and contains in each jaw two broad teeth, with sharp edges. The dorsal and the anal fins are placed at the extremity of the body; the tail fin is narrow, and fills up all the space between these two fins. When boiled, it is observed to turn entirely to a glutinous jelly, and would probably serve all the purposes of isinglass; but it is not found in sufficient plenty at least upon our coasts.

The SHORT DIODON differs from the preceding, in being much shorter and deeper, resembling the head of a fish rather than a perfect animal; both kinds are found on the western coast of Britain, but in greater plenty in the warmer climates of Europe.

THE SEA PORCUPINE.

LIKE the porcupine, whence it takes its name, it is covered over with long thorns or prickles, which point on every side; and when the animal is enraged, it can blow up its body as round as a bladder, by means of a sort of airbag in its interior. It varies in dimensions from the size of a football to that of a bushel. The back is of a bluish

colour, the sides and belly are white, and the body is covered with light and dark brown spots. Of this extraordinary creature there are many species: some threatening only with spines, and others defended with a bony helmet that covers the head.

This species is found not only in America, but in the

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Red Sea, and on the Japanese shores. It is sometimes called the Goad Fish. The people catch them merely for amusement. They throw in a line baited with the tail of a sea crab; the fish approaches, but being afraid of the line, he makes several turns and trials round the bait, and at length nibbles at it, but pretends to reject it, and passes by, striking it with his tail, as if he did not regard it. But if the rod be kept steady, he presently turns back, seizes the bait, and swallows hook and all. When he finds himself taken, he becomes enraged, bristles up his spines, swells out his belly, and endeavours to wound every thing that is near him. Finding this of no avail, he resorts to cunning, and seems to submit: he lowers his spines, contracts his body, and lies like a wet glove. But this artifice not succeeding, and perceiving the fisherman dragging him towards the land, he renews his defensive attitude with redoubled fury. His spines are now vigorously erected, his form rounded, and his body so completely armed at all points, that it is impossible to take it by the hand; he is therefore dragged to some distance, where he struggles and quickly dies.

THE LUMP FISH, LUMPSUCKER, OR
SEA OWL,

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Is sixteen inches in length, and its weight about four pounds; the shape of the body is like that of the bream, deep, and it swims edgeways, the back is sharp and elevated, and the belly flat; the lips, mouth, and tongue of this animal are of a deep red; the whole skin is rough, with bony knobs, the largest row is along the ridge of the back; the belly is of a bright crimson colour; but what makes the chief singularity in this fish is an oval aperture in the belly, surrounded with a fleshy, soft substance, that seems bearded all round; by means of this part it adheres with vast force to any thing it pleases. If flung into a pail of water, it will stick so close to the bottom, that on taking the fish by the tail, one may lift up pail and all, though it hold several gallons of water. Great numbers of these fish are found along the coast of Greenland in the beginning of summer, where they resort to spawn. Their roe is remarkably large, and the Greenlanders boil it to a pulp for eating. They are extremely fat, but not admired in England, being both flabby and insipid.

THE UNCTUOUS SUCKER, OR SEA SNAIL,

TAKES its name from the soft and unctuous texture of its body, resembling the snail upon land. It is almost trans

parent, and soon dissolves, and melts away. It is but a little animal, being not above five inches long. The colour, when fresh taken, is of a pale brown, and the shape of the body is round. It is taken in England, at the mouths af rivers, four or five miles distant from the sea.

THE PIPE FISH.

THE body of the Pipe Fish, in the thickest part, is not thicker than a swan quill, while it is above fifteen inches long. Its general colour is an excellent olive brown, marked with numbers of bluish lines, pointing from the back to the belly. It is viviparous; for, on crushing one that was just taken, hundreds of very minute young ones were observed to crawl about.

THE HIPPOCAMPUS,

WHICH, from the form of its head, some call the Sea Horse, never exceeds nine inches in length. It is about as thick as a man's thumb; and the body is said, while alive, to have hair on the fore part, which falls off when it is dead. The snout is a sort of tube, with a hole at the bottom, to which there is a cover, which the animal can open and shut at pleasure. Behind the eyes there are two fins, which look like ears; and above them are two holes, which serve for respiration. It, upon the whole, more resembles a great caterpillar than a fish.

To these animals may be added the GALLEY FISH, which Linnæus degrades into the insect tribe, under the title of the Medusa. To the eye of an unmindful spectator this fish seems a transparent bubble, swimming on the surface of the sea, or like a bladder variously and beautifully painted with vivid colors, where red and violet predominate, as variously opposed to the beams of the sun. It is, how

ever, an actual fish; the body of which is composed of cartilages, and a very thin skin filled with air, which thus keep the animal floating on the surface, as the winds and the waves happen to drive. Persons who happen to be walking along the shore, often tread upon these animals; and the bursting of their body yields a report as when one treads upon the swim of a fish. It has eight broad feet with which it swims, or which it expands to catch the air as with a sail. It fastens itself to whatever it meets by means of its legs, which have an adhesive quality. But what is most remarkable in this extraordinary creature is the violent pungency of the slimy substance with which its legs are smeared. If the smallest quantity but touch the skin, so caustic is its quality, that it burns it like hot oil dropped on the part affected. The pain is worst in the heat of the day, but ceases in the cool of the evening.

CHAP. VIII. ·

Of Bony Fishes in general....Apodal Fishes....The EEL.... The Conger....The Netted Eel....The Cordated Eel....The Electrical Eel....The LAUNCE....The WOLF FISH....The SWORD FISH....Jugular Fishes....The DRAGONET.....The WEEVER.... The CoD....Three and five bearded Cods....The Haddock...The Whiting Pout... The Bib...The Poor...The Coal Fish...The Pollock...The Whiting...The Hake...The Ling...The Burbot...The BLENNY...The Crested and Viviparous Blenny...The Butterfly Fish... The Star-gazer... Thoracic Fishes... The GOBY, or Rock Fish... The Remora, or Sucking Fish... The BULLHEAD...The Miller's Thumb The Pogge...The Flying SCORPÆNA... The DOREE...The Opah...The FLOUNDER...The Halibut...The Plaise...The

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