commonly called the king fish. See Zeus.

The body is deep; the scales exceedingly minute: it has fetoceous teeth on the tongue only, one long dorsal fin, and a tail somewhat lunate. The genus of which this is a species is not numerous: This, however, is considerably the largest, and with respect to its colours the most splendid. It is considered by many as the most beautiful fish that is found on the coast of Europe. Mr Pennant in his British Zoology gives the following account of this fish, which is exceedingly rare on the British coast: "We have only four instances (says he) of this fish being taken in our seas, each of them in the north, viz. twice off Scotland, once off Northumberland, and once in Filey-Bay, Yorkshire. This last was caught about two years ago, and exhibited as a show at Scarborough.

"It is of that genus which Linnaeus distinguishes by the name of Chetodon from its bristly teeth, and is said to be very common on the coast of Guinea. (See Chetodon)."

"It is well described by an anonymous writer in the London Magazine for October 1767, which we shall borrow, as the account is confirmed to us by Mr Travis, who had an opportunity of examining one of the same species.

"Newcastle, September 12. On Saturday last was thrown upon the sands at Blyth, a very rare and beautiful fish, weighing between 70 and 80 pounds, shaped like the sea bream. The length was three feet and an half; the breadth from back to belly almost two feet; but the thickness from side to side not above six inches.

"The mouth small for the size of the fish, forming a square opening, and without any teeth in the jaws. The tongue thick, resembling that of a man, but rough and thick set with beards or prickers, pointing backwards, so that any thing might easily pass down, but could not easily return back; therefore these might serve instead of teeth to retain its prey. The eyes remarkably large, covered with a membrane, and shining with a glare of gold. The cover of the gills like the salmon.

"The body diminishes very small to the tail, which is forked, and expands 12 inches: the gill fins are broad, about eight inches long, and play horizontally: a little behind their insertion the back fin takes its original, where it is about seven inches high, but flops away very suddenly, running down very near the tail, and at its termination becomes a little broader: the belly fins are very strong, and placed near the middle of the body: a narrow fin also runs from the anus to the tail.

(A) Later writers seem with more propriety to have ranked it under the genus Zeus, to which we have already referred. "Opal. All the fins, and also the tail, are of a fine scarlet; but the colours and beauty of the rest of the body, which is smooth and covered with almost imperceptible scales, beggars all description; the upper part being a kind of bright green, variegated with whitish spots, and enriched with a shining golden hue, much resembling the splendour of the peacock's feathers; this by degrees vanishes in a bright silver; and near the belly the gold begins again to predominate in a lighter ground than on the back."