the sucker, in ichthyology, a genus belonging to the order of amphibian fishes. The head is obtuse, and furnished with saw-teeth; there are four rays in the gills; and the belly-fins are connected together in an orbicular form. The species are,

1. The lumpus, or lump-fish, grows to the length of 19 inches, and weighs seven pounds; the shape of the body is like that of the bream, deep and very thick, and it swims edge-ways. The back is sharp and elevated; the belly flat, of a bright crimson colour: along the body there run several rows of sharp bony tubercles, and the whole skin is covered with small ones. The pectoral fins are large and broad, almost uniting at their base. Beneath these is the part by which it adheres to the rocks, &c. It consists of an oval aperture, surrounded with a fleshy, mucular, and obtuse soft substance; edged with many small thread-like appendages which concur as so many claspers: the tail and vent-fins are purple. By means of this part it adheres with vast force to any thing it pleases. As a proof of its tenacity, it hath been known, that in flinging a fish of this species just caught, into a pail of water, it fixed itself so firmly to the bottom, that on taking the fish by the tail, the whole pail by that means was lifted, though it held some gallons, without once making the fish quit its hold. These fish resort in multitudes during spring to the coast of Sutherland near the Ord of Caithness. The seals which swarm beneath, prey greatly upon them leaving the skins; numbers of which thus emptied, float ashore at that season. It is easy to distinguish the place where the seals are devouring this or any other unctuous fish, by a smoothness of the water immediately above the spot; this fact is now established: it being a tried property of oil to still the agitation of the waves, and render them smooth. Great numbers of lump-fish are found in the Greenland seas during the months of April and May, when they resort near the shore to spawn. Their roe is remarkably large, which the Greenlanders boil to a pulp and eat. They are extremely fat, which recommends them the more to the natives, who admire all oily food: they call them ni-pisiti, or cat-fish, and take quantities of them during Cyder.

The fish is sometimes eaten in England, being stewed like carp; but is both flabby and insipid.

2. The liparis takes the name of sea-snail from the soft and unctuous texture of its body, resembling that of the land-snail. It is almost transparent, and soon dissolves and melts away. It is found in the sea near the mouths of great rivers, and hath been seen full of spawn in January. The length is five inches; the colour a pale brown sometimes finely streaked with a darker. Beneath the throat is a round depression of a whitish colour like the impression of a leaf, surrounded by twelve small pale yellow tubers by which probably it adheres to the stones like the other species.

3. The lesser sucking-fish is found in different parts of the British seas. It is about four inches in length; the skin without scales, slippery, and of a dusky colour. It hath also an apparatus for adhering to stones and rocks similar to the others.