This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 edition. Excerpt: ...several series of short, conical, sharp-pointed, and deeply-set teeth; there is, however, a space 'in the mesial line, both in the upper and lower, where they do not exist; these teeth are all very stout at their roots, in proportion to their length and size. The tongue is very large, and free for some ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 edition. Excerpt: ...several series of short, conical, sharp-pointed, and deeply-set teeth; there is, however, a space 'in the mesial line, both in the upper and lower, where they do not exist; these teeth are all very stout at their roots, in proportion to their length and size. The tongue is very large, and free for some distance, rounded in front, and cov-ered to its tip with minute teeth, which make it rough like sand-paper; near the centre of its base is an oblong group of large teeth; and in the palate-bone is another and extensive rhomboidal group of teeth, nearly as large as those in the jaws. The pharyngeal bones are armed with teeth, which are rather larger than the others, and slightly curved backwards. The pre-opercle is rounded at its angle, slightly so at its posterior border, and is covered with small, round, entire scales; as are also the cheeks and temples. The opercle is large, with a smooth border, but its surface is marked with several minute elevations, disposed in a radiated manner. The soft dorsal fin is preceded by eight short, strong, compressed, sub-triangular spines; these spines begin a little behind the gills, opposite the pectoral fin, and in the old animal they are so deeply notched near their roots in front, as to appear at first sight double; each has a thin, depressed membrane attached to its posterior border, which often runs to be connected with the root of the anterior part of the spine behind it; they are all movable, and placed in a groove. The soft or second portion of the dorsal is thick, falciform at first, and elevated, but soon it becomes depressed, and so continues to the caudal fin; it has its two or three posterior rays slightly prolonged to end in a point; there are two spinous and thirty soft rays, which...
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