UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

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SUPPLEMENT

HISTORY

BRITISH FISHES

WILLIAM YARRELL, F.L.S. V.P.Z.S.

ILLUSTRATED WITH WOODCUTS.

IN TWO PARTS.

LONDON :
JOHN VAN VOORST, 1, PATERNOSTER ROW.

M.DCCC.XXXIX.

LONDON :

PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY,

Bangor House, Shoe Lane.

PREFACE TO THE SUPPLEMENT.

On publishing this Supplement to the History of British
Fishes, I have only respectfully and very sincerely to return
my best thanks to those friends and naturalists, who have,
either by their private communications or public announce-
ments, supplied the novelties contained herein.

These additions to the British Catalogue of Fishes are so
many gratifying testimonials of the increasing number of
observers, whose attention is directed towards the inhabitants
of our seas ; and I feel a sincere pleasure in the prospect of
the many new subjects, and more correct illustrations, which
our Ichthyology is likely to derive from the great interest
now taken in this branch of Natural History.

To render the pictorial part of this Supplement as useful
as its size and character would admit, I have introduced, as
vignettes, representations of the bones of the cranium of
several well-known fishes, derived from the works of Cuvier,
Rosenthall, and others : and should this part of the plan be
approved as a worthy mode of occupying a portion of that
space usually devoted to lighter subjects, it may, on some
future occasion be so enlarged upon as to include an illus-
tration of one cranium in almost all the principal genera.
In the present instance, however, not to interfere with the
ornamental appearance of these crania, as vignettes, by a
repetition of letters or numbers in reference to each parti-
cular bone, I have confined the markings to the Perch only,
as here introduced, premising, that a little useful persever-
ance will lead to a knowledge of the analogous bones in
other crania.

PREFACE TO THE SUPPLEMENT.

a. Principal frontal bone.

b. Parietal.

c. Inter occipital.

d. Inter parietal.

e. Operculum.

f. Subopercuium.

g. Interoperculum.
h. Preoperculum.
i. Temporal.

k. Tympanal.
1. Sympletic.
m. Jugal.

n. Posterior frontal.

n*. Anterior frontal.

o. Great ala.

p. Sphenoid.

q. Internal pterygoid.

r. Transverse.

s. Palatal bone.

t. Vomer.

u. Nasal.

V. Superior maxillary.

w. Inter maxillary,

X. Articular portion, and

y. Dental portion of the lower jaw, or inferior maxillary bone.

This Supplement is divided into two parts that each sepa-
rate part may be bound up, if required, with the particular
volume to which it more exclusively belongs. All the wood
engravings in the Supplement have been executed by Mr.
Vasey.

Ryder Street, March, 1889.

SUPPLEMENT

TO THE FIRST VOLUME OF THE

HISTORY OF BRITISH FISHES,

ACANTHOPTERYGII.

PERCID/E.

COUCH'S POLYPRION.

Polyprion cervium.

Polyprion cernium, Cuv.et Val. Hist, des Poiss. t. iii. p. 21, pi. 42.
M. A. Val. Mem. du Mus. t. xi. p. 265, pi. 17.
Amphiprion Americanus, Schneider, Syst. Ichth. p. 205.
,, Australe, „ ,, pi. 47.

ScorptEiia Massiliensis, Risso, Ichth. p. 184.

Stove Basse, Couch, Linn. Trans, vol. xiv. p. 81.
Serranus Couchii, Couch's Serranus, Brit. Fish. vol. i. p. 12.

Generic Characters. — A single elongated dorsal fin, the rays of the anterior
portion rather short and spinous, those of the secondary portion longer and
flexible : branchiostegous rays 7 ; small incurved teeth on the bones of both
jaws, on the palatine bones, and on the vomer, with some elongated teeth
among the smaller ones ; cheeks, operculum, the whole of the body, the base
of the flexible portion of the dorsal and anal fin, and the base of the tail covered
with small rigid scales, serrated at the free margin ; suborbital bone, pre-

operculum and operculum, below the line of the pectoral fin, denticulated ;
operculum, above the line of the pectoral fin traversed by a single strong,
horizontal bony ridge, ending in a point directed backwards ; over the eye,
over the operculum, and over the origin of the pectoral fin, a semicircular
row of short spines ; the first ray of the ventral fin, and the first three rays of tiie
anal fin, furnislied also with small short spines.

In the first edition of the History of British Fishes, I
ventured to consider the Stone Basse of Mr. Couch, of whicli
that gentleman had favoured me with a draAving, as an unde-
scribed species of the genus Serranus of Cuvier. At that
time I had not seen a specimen of the fish. The Rev.
R. T. Lowe, who has devoted great attention to fishes, par-
ticularly those taken at Madeira, where he has resided many
years, first intimated to me that this, my supposed new
Serranus, — which I had called Couch''s Serranus, in reference
to a naturalist and a friend, from whom I had received so
much valuable assistance, — was in fact the Polyprion cer-
nium of Cuv. and Val. Hist des Poiss. i. iii. p. 1^1, a spe-
cies well known to him, being a common fish at Madeira,
and which is now known to range as far to the south as the
Cape of Good Hope. Since that time Mr. Lowe has sent
me from Madeira a fine and perfect specimen of this fish,
which I have shown to several good observers on our southern
coast, where Mr. Couch's Stone Basse occurs, who have no
doubt that this fish is the same as the Stone Basse of Mr.
Couch, and it therefore now appears in its place among the
British Fishes under its most recent systematic appellation.
I am still, however, anxious to identify this species with the
name of Mr. Couch, who first made it known as a British
fish, and have therefore now called it Couch's Polyprion.

This species was the subject of a particular memoir by
M. A. Valenciennes, published in the Mem. du Mus. t. xi.
as already quoted, and is remarkable in having escaped the
observation and record of all the early Schthyological writers,
although the fish is common in the Mediterranean, attains a
large size, — sometimes weighing one hundred pounds, — and

COUCH S POLYPRION. O

measuring five or six feet in length. Mr. Baker of Bridge-
water tells me, that this fish, of three feet in length, is not
uncommon in the Bristol Channel. Mr. Couch, in reference
to its habits, says, " this species approaches the Cornish
coast under peculiar circumstances. When a piece of tim-
ber, covered with barnacles, is brought by the currents from
the more southern regions, which these fishes inhabit, consi-
derable numbers of them sometimes accompany it. Tn the
alacrity of their exertions, they pass over the Avreck in pur-
suit of each other, and sometimes, for a short space, are left
dry on the top, until a succeeding wave bears them oflf again.
From the. circumstance of their being usually found near
floating wood covered with barnacles, it might be supposed
that this shell-fish forms their food ; but this does not appear
to be the case, since, in many that were opened, nothing was
found but small fishes. Perhaps these young fishes follow
the floating wood for the sake of the insects that accompany
it, and thus draw the Stone Basse after them."

The Rev. Robert Holds worth of Brixham, who has fur-
nished me with many interesting notes on British fishes,
sends me word that on the Devonshire coast this fish is also
called Stone Basse and Wreck-fish, thus illustrating the
habits of the species as noticed by Mr. Couch, by a refer-
ence to the floating timbers to which the barnacles adhere,
and float along with them. Two paragraphs from Mr.
Holdsworth's letter on this fish, are as follows : — " October
7, 1824. The ci-ew of the Providence smack found a large
log of mahogany in Start Bay, covered with long barnacles,
and surrounded by a shoal of these fish. They jigged, — that
is, caught with a pole, having a barbed hook at the end, four
or five. I had two cooked, which I purchased of the crew of
the Providence, and found them excellent." Captain Ni-
cholls, in a voyage from St. John's, Newfoundland, to the
coast of Portugal, " having his ship's bottom very foul, and

B 2

4 rERCinr..

covered witli barnacles, was becalmed for iiiaiiy days witliiii
a liundrcd Icasj^ucs of Oporto, and was for a fortnight sur-
rounded with these fish, which followed the ship, and were
caught by the crew. He fed his men upon them for twelve
or fourteen days, and considered them excellent food."

As before noticed, according to M. Valenciennes, Savigny,
and Risso, this Polyprion, — the only species of the genus, —
is common in the Mediterranean, where it lives throughout
the year over rocky bottoms in deep water. The flesh is
white, tender, and of good flavour. M. Valenciennes says it
feeds on mollusca and small fishes ; he found sardines in the
stomach.

The Rev. R.T.Lowe says this Polyprion is one of the most
common fish in the market at Madeira ; where, when small,
it is called Chernottc, and when large, Cherno, (pronounced
Shareny by the Portuguese,) and Jew-fish by the English.
Tt is there, also, deservedly held in esteem for the table.

Specimens taken at the Cape of Good Hope were sent by
M. Delaland to Baron Cuvier at Paris, who could perceive
no difference between them and specimens from the Medi-
terranean or the Channel.

There is good reason to believe, on the authority of Dr.
Latham, as recorded by Schneider, that this fish also inhabits
the shores of America.

In the fish here described, the length from the point of
the upper jaw to the posterior end of the horizontal bony
ridge on the operculum, is to the whole length of the fish,
exclusive of the caudal rays, as one to three ; the depth of the
fish in the vertical line of the origin of the ventral and pecto-
ral fins, is to the whole length, from the point of the lower
jaw, when the mouth is open, to the end of the caudal rays,
also as one to three ; the thickness of the fish equal to half
its height ; the lower jaw is the longest; the nostrils double,
the openings circular ; the eyes dark brown ; the peculiarities

COUCH S rOLYPRION. O

of the head, teeth, and gill-covers, are detailed in the generic
characters ; the ventral and pectoral fins have their origin in
a vertical line under the fourth spinous ray of the dorsal fin :
the upper half of this fish is of a dark purplish brown, the
under part almost silvery white ; the membranes connecting
the various fin-rays dark brown ; the extreme margin of the
tail is nearly white. Young specimens are described and
figured as marbled over with two shades of brown ; the lateral
line rises high over the base of the pectoral fin, afterwards
following a course nearly parallel with the outline of the
back. The figure here given was taken from the specimen
of this fish sent me by Mr. Lowe, which measured sixteen
inches in length. The fin-ray formula is as follows : —

D. 11 + 12 : P. 16 : V. 1 -f 5 : A. 3 + 9 : C. 17 : Vert. 26.

A representation of the bones forming the cranium of this
Polyprion is here added as a vignette.

AVITH HARD CHEEKS

ACANTHOPTERYGIl.

WITH HARD CHEEKS.

THE SHINING GURNARD,

OR LONG-FINNED CAPTAIN.

Tn'gla lucerna.

Cuculus RoNDELET, Latin edition, p. 287.

Rouget, ,, French edition, p. 227.

Trigla lucerna, Brigotte, Brunnich, p. 76.*

^, Orghe, Risso, Ichth. p. 209.

,, milvus, „ ,, Hist. p. 395.

,, lucerna, L'Orgue, Cuv. et Val. Hist. des. Poiss. t. iv. p. 72.

,, ,, Long-Jinned Captain, Mag. Zool. and Bot. vol. i, p. 526.

The Gurnard figured above has been made known as a
species new to the British Catalogue by Dr. Parncll, who ob-
tained several specimens from the fishermen of Brixham in
Devonshire, by whom, in reference to the elongation of the
second ray of the first dorsal fin, it is called the Long-finned
Captain, and by whom also it is not considered rare. The
reason why a species so strongly marked as to specific dis-

* Iclithyologia ftlassiliensis, 1768.

SHINING GURNARD. <

tinction should have remained till lately unnoticed on our
shores, will probably be found in the circumstance that this
Gurnard does not generally exceed nine inches in length,
which not being considered by the fishermen a marketable
size, the fish is not often brought on shore ; yet its flesh is
esteemed as sweet and delicate.

The capture of several examples of this fish at Brixham,
and the announcement of the circumstance in the first volume
of the Magazine of Zoology and Botany, page 526, with a
description and figure, has not, that I am aware, elicited any
notice of its occurrence on other parts of our coast, yet it
may be presumed to be plentiful as a species ; Dr. Parnell
saw seven taken at once in a trawl net, and it is decidedly
common in most parts of the Mediterranean. Brunnich,
who described it in 1768, as quoted under the representation
of the fish, found it at Marseilles. Savigny, according to M.
Cuvier and Valenciennes, found it at Naples. Dr. Leach
sent specimens to Paris from Malta. M. Risso includes it
in both his volumes among the fishes taken in the environs
of Nice, and mentions it even as one known to Aldrovandus,
quoting lib. ii. cap. 58, page 279. But little appears to be
known of the particular habits or food of this species ; but it
is supposed to spawn about June, from the large size of the
roe in a female fish taken in that month. Dr. Parnell's spe-
cimens were obtained in the month of September.

I have followed M. Cuvier and Valenciennes in including
references to the work of Rondelet, but with some doubt
whether the fish there represented and described is not rather
a different species of Gurnard. Our fish was probably called
lucerna, from the brilliant and shining longitudinal silvery
band which pervades the whole length of each side. I am
indebted to Dr. Parnell for the specimen from which the fol-
lowing description was taken.

The whole length nine inches and one quarter. From

O WITH HARD CHEEKS.

the point of the nose to the end of the occipital spine, is to
the whole length of the fish as one to four ; the depth of the
head is to the whole length of the fish as one to six and a
half; the depth of the body is to the whole length as one to
six ; the nose is rather short and blunt ; at the superior an-
terior edge of each orbit is a single short bony spine directed
upwards ; at the inferior anterior edge of each orbit there is a
groove directed downwards and forwards to the base of the
external nasal bone, in Avhich groove, about half way between
the eye and the nose, the nostril is pierced ; the exterior sur-
face of the head granulated and hard ; the posterior margin
on each side furnished with two spines directed backwards,
one from the edge of the operculum, the other from the occi-
pital bone above it ; the region of the scapula, behind the
operculum, is furnished with another spine, also directed
backwards. The fin-ray formula is as follows : —

D. 9—18 P. 10 — 3 : V. (J : A. 17 : C. 14.

The first dorsal fin commences in a line over the base of
the pectoral fin, the second ray is more than as long again as
the first ray, and the third ray is also a little longer than the
first ray ; afterwards the rays decrease in length gradually, the
last ray being the shortest ; the second dorsal fin commences
in a vertical line over the anal aperture ; the rays of this fin
are nearly uniform in length throughout, the fin ending on
the same plane with the anal fin, the rays of Avhich com-
mencing immediately behind the anal aperture, are also
nearly uniform in length throughout ; the tail in shape is
lunate; the dorsal ridge contains from twenty-four to twenty-
six plates, each ending in a single point ; the lateral row of
scales, peculiar to the Gurnards, are in this species formed
like wings, and arc rcpicscntcd of an enlarged comparative
size below the tail of the figure of the fish. The head and
upper part of the body are of a fine vermilion colour ; the

SHINING GURNARD.

9

irides silvery ; along the side of the body a broad and shining
silvery band ; the belly below reddish white ; the pectoral
fins of a deep blue ; all the other fins rosy red.

The characters of this Gurnard are so well marked that it
is not likely to be confounded with any other species.

The vignette below represents the cranium of the Sapphi-
rine Gurnard.

10

M ITH HARD CHEEKS

yiCAXTHOVTERYGll.

WITH HARD CUEEkb.

THE MAILED GURNARD.

Peristedion Malarmat.

Malnrmtit,

Corntitus, sive Eyra altera,
Fnrchato, Malarmat,

Lyra altera.

Belon, p. 209.
RoNDEi.ET, Lat. Edit. p. 299.
Fr. „ p. 237.
Wn.i.ouGiii!Y, p. 283, tab. S. 3.

Trigla cataphracta, Malarmat, Brunnich, p. 72.

Malarmat, Di'hamel, t. iii. Sect. 5, p. 113, pi. 9. f. 2.

Trigla cataphracta, Le Malarmat, Blocii, pt. x. pi. 349.

Peristedion 7iialarmat, Cuv. et Val. Hist. Pois. t. iv. p. 101.

„ Mailed Gurnard, Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. i. N. S. p. 17.

Generic Characters. — Body covered with bony plates, forming a derensive
armature. The nasal bone divided into two points. The mouth has no teeth.
In other respects the characters are similar to those of the genus Trigla.

This singular-looking species, allied to the Gurnards, was
made known as an addition to the catalogue of our British
Fishes by Dr. Edward Moore of Plymouth, in the Maga-
zine of Natural History for 1837, conducted by Mr. Charles-
worth, as (jiiotcd among the references placed below the

MAILED GURNARD. 11

figure : it was caught on the fishing ground between Ply-
mouth and the Eddystone in the autumn of 1836. It will
be observed by the synonymes quoted, which are arranged
chronologically, that this fish has been known from the time
of Belon, who published in 1553, and has given a figure
from an engraving on wood, which is easily recognised.
This fish is also figured and described in the work of Ron-
delet, who from a resemblance which it bears to Trigla lyra^
the systematic name of our English Piper Gurnard, British
Fishes, vol. i. p. 44, called this fish Lyra altera, and also
Forchato, from its elongated and bifurcated nasal bones.
Brunnich, after Rondelet, called it cataphracta, in reference
to the armour-like scales with which the body is defended.
The term Malarmat applied to a fish so well armed, at least
defensively, could only have been bestowed in joke by way
of antiphrase. >

M. Risso, who has briefly described some of its habits,
says, it frequents deep water over rocky ground, approaching
the shallows only at the period of spawning. It swims with
rapidity, occasionally breaking off portions of the extended
nasal bones against the rocks among which it harbours. It
is said to be solitary in its habits, and feeds upon such ani-
mals as the medusEe, the beroe, and the thinner skinned
Crustacea. This fish inhabits all the western parts of the
Mediterranean, and is rather common on most of the shores,
where it attains the length of two feet. The British speci-
men recorded by Dr. E. Moore was about eleven inches
long. It is said to be a rare species in the Adriatic, but has
been taken at Venice. Duhamel, in his Traite des Peches,
says, that this fish, though so rare on the coasts of the
Channel as to be almost unknown, is common on the coasts
of Spain and Provence, where it is caught in deep water.
It is fished for all the year ; but as an article of food it is
in the greatest estimation in Lent. As there is but little

1^ \»'ITH HA UU CHEKKS.

lo cat upuu this fish when it is small, those of the largest
size are the most in re(|uest. Duhamel gives the following
instructions for preparing this fish for the table : if it is in-
tended for stewing, it is necessary to soak it in warm water
in order to get off the skin and scales, which is most easily
effected by commencing the removal at the tail ; if it is
preferred to broil it, it is then only necessary to open the
body of the fish, and put inside fresh butter, fine herbs, and
seasoning to increase the flavour of the meat, which is white
and delicate. When it is sufficiently cooked the scales come
off easily.

Dr. Moore very obligingly sent his British specimen of
this fish up to London that I might see it, and I found that
it exactly resembled an example from the Mediterranean in
my own collection, with which I compared it.

The bones of the nose are very much elongated, forming
a projecting and forked snout of two broad and flattened
processes, which are each an inch in length, and parallel to
each other, half an inch apart at the base, on the upper sur-
face of which there are one large and two smaller mam-
millary protuberances. From the end of the elongated nasal
bone to the posterior end of the ridge on the cheek at the
base of the pectoral fin, the length is three inches and a half
in a fish of eleven inches, or rather less. The nasal, orbital,
and occipital ridges, are armed with numerous sharp tooth-
like processes. The orbit of the eye is oval, its greatest
length horizontal, the irides silvery ; the jaws are semicir-
cular in shape ; the form of the opening of the mouth, which
is without teeth, is also semicircular ; the length of the head,
from the point of the nasal bone to the end of the suborbital
ridge, is to the whole length of head, body, and tail together,
as one to three.

The body is octagonal, covered with bony scales, or plates,
laid over each other like a coat of mail ; from the centre of

MAILED GURNARD. 13

the scales, forming in continuous lines the eight angles of
the body, projects a sharp-pointed process directed back-
wards ; the scales vary in number on the different angles
from twenty- three to thirty.

The fin-ray formula, according to Cuvier, is as follows : —
D. 7, 19 : P. 12. 2 : V. 1 -j-5 : A. 18 : C n : Vert. 43.

The first dorsal fin has seven rays, but the point of dis-
tinction between the first and second dorsal fins is liable to
some misconception, as it is only indicated by a decrease in
the extent or elevation of the connecting membrane. Five
or six of the rays of the first dorsal fin end in elongated
flexible filaments, as shown in the figure. It is supposed
that the males only in this species have these filaments
elongated, the rays in the females remaining short, and this
may account for some differences that appear in the repre-
sentations given by some of the authors herein referred to.
The second dorsal fin usually contains eighteen or nineteen
short rays. The pectoral fin is stated by Cuvier to contain
twelve rays, but his figure in illustration exhibits but
ten rays, and I find there are ten rays in the pectoral
fin in the Mediterranean specimen before referred to ; Dr.
Moore's fish is described as possessing but eight rays ; they
appear therefore liable to variation ; the free rays common
to the Gurnards are in this species limited to two ; between
the ventral fins is an elongated and flattened sternum ; the
body ends at the tail in three short projecting spines on each
side of the base of the caudal rays ; the form of the tail is
lunate. Dr. Moore says of his fish that " its colour, when
fresh, was of a uniform scarlet, like the Red Gurnard, gra-
dually softening to pale flesh colour towards the abdomen ;
the anal and dorsal fins were crimson ; but the others pale
and greyish.

u

RinAND-SHAPKD.

ACANTIIOPTERYGII.

lUBAND.SHAPED.

Track tjpterus, Bo

THE VAAGMAER,

OR DEALF[SH.

Trachypicrus iH)gmarus.

us, Cuv. et Val. Hist. Nat. ties Toiss. t. x. p. 346.

The publication of the History of British Fishes has
brought me into communication with Professor John Rein-
hardt, Curator of the Royal Museum, and also of the Uni-
versity Museum at Copenhagen. Tliis gentleman, desirous
of supplying the deficiency, both as to figure and description,
which existed at the time of publishing the account of the
Vaagmaer, or Dealfish, British Fishes, vol. i. p. 191, has
very obligingly forwarded to mc a copy of his memoir,
printed in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Copen-
hagen, containing a detailed account and a figure of this fish,
from a specimen obtained in Iceland. By the kindness of
Dr. Cantor, the friend and countryman of M. Rcinhardt, I
am enabled to present a free translation of so much of this
Danish paper as refers to the description of this very rare
fish, with a reduced figure from the plate which accompanied
the memoir.

^'AAGMAER. 15

The specimen of the Vaagmaer, from wliich the drawing
and description were taken, was during the summer of 1828
thrown up alive on the beach near Thorshavn in Iceland, and
was procured by Mr. Moller for the Royal Museum of
Natural History. Fortunately, a ship at the time was ready
to sail for Copenhagen, by which the fish, preserved in spi-
rits, was forwarded. It arrived in about ten days, and in
such beautiful condition that the brilliant red colour of the
fins had not faded, nor had the membrane connecting the
fin-rays been torn ; only the anterior dorsal and the ventral
fins were injured, so as to leave but short roots ; the con-
tinuation of which is therefore indicated by fine lines.

A previous account of this, as well as of another less per-
fect specimen, found thrown on shore near Frederikshavn in
Jutland, was laid before the Royal Society of Copenhagen
in the winter of 1829. As I have not been able to procure
a better specimen, and a useful delineation of this fish is
wanted, while we, through the figures given by M, Valen-
ciennes, are enabled to compare several species from the Me-
diterranean, I have thought it right to supply this deficiency
by having an engraving made under my own superintendence
of the Icelandic Vaagmaer, to the description of which the
following paper is devoted.

The result of the account of the two specimens above
mentioned, as communicated in 1829 to the Royal Society,
was, that the Northern Vaagmaer, contrary to the opinion
of its former describers, is indeed provided with ventral fins,
by which its generic relation to those of the Mediterranean
has been decided, as well as its systematic rank : while a
comparison with one of the Mediterranean species preserved
in the Museum, established its specific difference.

M. Valenciennes, in his excellent account of the genus
Trachypterus in his tenth volume, has added a few remarks
to the previous history. Although the specimen he examined

16

RIBAND-SHAPED.

was dried and partly defective, the relative dimensions and
the number of the dorsal rays nevertheless agree. Some dif-
ference between the short description of M. Valenciennes
and that which follows, will be pointed out hereafter.

The body of the Vaagmaer is compressed, or sword-blade
like throughout, more than half of its whole length, or, in
the present specimen, from the occiput to within eleven
inches of the caudal extremity of the dorsal column ; the
height is nearly the same at both extremities, and only one
seventh part less than the height at the central part of the
body, where it is greatest. In this particular it differs from
the two species from the Mediterranean, with more than
one hundred and sixty dorsal rays, according to their dimen-
sions given by M. Valenciennes, — namely, those of Tra-
chypterus Jalx, and Tr. iris, a difference distinctly shown,
particularly in the latter species. In those two species the
greatest height is at, or near, the occiput, from whence it
more or less rapidly decreases towards the caudal fin. Of
the Tr. leiopterus I am uncertain, as the author has given
no dimensions of the height, although he elsewhere states
that this species has a caudal fin much thinner than that of
the Vagmarus.

The colour of the head and body is silvery, varied only
by the blackish grey of the head, and by two obliquely oval
spots of the same colour on each side. The long dorsal fin,
and the almost vertical triangular caudal fin, are of a light
red. The silvery colour arises from a thin layer on the
epidermis, of the same nature as that of the ventral mem-
brane observed in several other fishes. I have not been able
to observe any traces of scales. The skin underneath the
silvery cover is divided or furrowed by diagonal lines, form-
ing small flat elevations, some of which are round, and others
angvdar. Towards the abdominal margin, particularly on
each side of the sharp edge, these elevations a])pear as papil-

VAAGMAER.

17

lary warts of remarkable firmness, but by no means osseous,
which, decreasing in size behind the anus, are lost entirely
towards the tail.

In the number of its lateral dark spots, the Vaagmaer re-
sembles the Tr. leiopterus, which, according to M. Valenci-
ennes, has only two ; but, in reference to the position of these
spots, there exists a difference between these two species. In
the Vaagmaer they are placed farther backwards, the situation
of the most anterior spot being at the commencement of the
second fourth part of the whole length of the fish, the pos-
terior being situated about half way, or near the middle.
Both spots are nearer each other in the Tr. leiopterus than in
the present species. The total length of the specimen repre-
sented, measured from the point of the nose to the end of the
dorsal column, is forty-three inches six lines ; with the upper
jaw protruded the whole length is forty-four inches seven lines.
The greatest height of the body in the present specimen,
twenty inches from the angle of the mouth, or four inches in
advance of the anus, is contained five times and a half in the
length, while the height at the nuchal region, about six
inches from the end of the nose, is contained nearly seven
times in the total length. The height at a distance of thirty-
six inches is but a little more than one eleventh of the total
length, and at the distance of forty inches is little more than
one thirtieth.

The greatest diameter is near the part where the gill-cover
is attached to the head, and is contained four times in the
height of that region, or five times in the greatest height, the
diameter of which is scarcely one-tenth. The diameter de-
creases towards the narrow part of the tail. The greatest
diameter of the body is in the region of the lateral line, and
decreases towards the dorsal and ventral profile, particularly
towards the former, where it becomes sharp like the edge of
a knife, by which the spinal processes and the intervening

18

RIBAND-SHAPED.

bones of the dorsal rays become apparent on the surface of
the thin external covering.

The head from the end of tlie nose to the posterior margin
of the gill-cover is contained seven times and a quarter in the
total length ; the length of the head is therefore nearly equal
to the height of the fish at the nuchal region. The outline
of the lower jaw forms an ascending arch, which at the angle
of the mouth meets the straight and slightly declining profile
of the forehead, by which the lower jaw, Avhen the mouth is
closed, becomes much elevated, and the opening of the mouth
turned upwards. When the lower jaw sinks into a horizontal
position, the upper jaw is much projected, and becomes some-
what longer than the lower.

The fonnation of the jaws, the form and position of the
gill-covers, and the radiating grooves on the latter, on the
jaws and frontal bones, agree with the description of those
parts in the Tr. Falx, as given by M. Valenciennes, to which
I beg to refer as far as regards the Vaagmaer.

VAAGMAER.

19

The dentition in tliis species appears to exhibit some de-
viations from that of Tr. Iris and Tr. Spinola, in which the
teeth of the upper and lower jaw are nearly vertical, and are
seen, although the mouth is more than half closed. In the
description of Tr. Falx no mention is made of the position of
the teeth. In the Vaagmaer the maxillary teeth are thin, co-
nical, and pointed, nearly recumbent, with the apex turned
towards the pharynx. On the intermaxillary bones only four
teeth appear, two on each bone, somewhat within the margin :
the inner teeth do not exceed two lines in length. In the
lower jaw the teeth are placed nearer the outer margin, and
towards the front, four on one side, three on the other, with
some variation in size. A single-pointed tooth, three lines
in length, is placed vertically on the central line of the vomer,
but no other sharp teeth appear either behind this tooth, or
on the palatine bones, which, according to M. Valenciennes,
is the case in Tr. Falx. The superior pharyngeal bones are
studded with pointed curved teeth, one line in length ; the
inferior pharyngeal bones are wanting altogether.

The large eyes, lodged in a circular orbit, are situated near
the frontal profile. The longitudinal diameter of the orbit
is, compared to the length of the head, as one to three and a
half; the iris is silvery white, its breadth somewhat greater
than the diameter of the pupil.

The nostrils are very small, opening into narrow cavities,
situated above the anterior and superior part of the orbital
margin ; the larger nostril, a small rima, is situated close
upon the margin ; the smaller one is oval, and is placed a
little higher up.

The anterior extremity of the tongue is somewhat broad,
with a rounded margin, concave above, flat and keeled under-
neath ; the tongue is entirely free, and may easily be placed
in a horizontal position, as if intended to throw small bodies
towards the pharynx.

c 2

20 RinAXD-SHATED.

Tlic lateral line, commencing from the nuchal region, de-
scends nearly vertically opposite the middle of the orbit, from
whence it proceeds obliquely downwards, until behind the
pectoral fin, it reaches a distance from the ventral profile
somewhat shorter than the distance of the dorsal profile. It
now continues straight towards the extremity of the tail,
approaching the lower caudal margin. This line is covered
by a series of small oblong osseous shields, from the middle
of which rises a small spine directed forwards. The shields
and their spines increase in size towards the thin part of the
tail, from whence they again decrease, although the last shield
is much larger than those of the central part.

The short pectoral fins are situated nearer the ventral
margin than to the lateral line, and nearly opposite the apex
of the gill-cover. The number of the rays is in the right
pectoral fin eleven, in the left only ten.

Of the ventral fins, there remain only some short roots of
the rays, situated close to the ventral margin, in a direction
nearly parallel with, but a little further back, than the pecto-
lal fins. The number of the rays is six.

Of the rays of the anterior dorsal fin only five roots are
left, the first of which is somewhat thicker than the rest, and
situated five inches eight lines from the edge of the closed
jaws. The interval between this fin and the commencement
of the posterior dorsal fin, is twice the distance between two
rays. The posterior, or long dorsal fin, has one hundred and
seventy-two rays, of which the first ray is situated six inches
and one line from the point of the jaw ; the last ray half an
inch from the last vertebra. The anterior part is very low,
increasing in height by degrees until it reaches the com-
mencement of the last fom-th part of the total length, where
the height of the present specimen amounts to three inches
eleven lines, or about one half of the greatest height of the
l/ody ; from thence it decreases rapidly, so that the last ray

VAAGMAER.

21

is only a little longer than the first. The rays are slender,
flexible spines, without the slightest trace of transverse marks;
their articulating surface dilates into a saddle-shaped shield,
with a short curved point in the centre, by which a number
of small sharp bodies appear along the root of the fin. The
rays themselves, however, are quite smooth to the touch, and,
under a lens, are, as M. Valenciennes in his own specimen
found them, a little sharp.

The more or less vertically raised caudal fin contains eight
rays; the length of the upper and under ray is to the length
of the two central rays as four to three. The' latter named
rays are sharp to the touch, and viewed through a lens are
observed to be studded over with a number of small spines.

22 GouioiDi;.

ACANTiiOVTERYGll. GOBIOID.E.

THE SLENDER GOBY.

Gobius gracilis.

Crobius gracilis, Slender Goby, Jenyns, Man. Brit. Vert. p. 387.

,, ,, Parnell, Wern. Mem. vol. vii. p. 245.

This Goby, though described from Mr. Jenyns' work, was
not figured in the former volumes of the British Fishes. It
has probably been long confounded with Gobius minulus, but
is more slender, and otherwise distinguished. It was first
described by the Rev. Leonard Jenyns in his Manual of the
British Vertebrate Animals, from specimens obtained on the
coast of Essex. Dr. Parnell says, " This well-marked Goby
is occasionally fovmd in the Firth of Forth, but is not com-
mon ; it inhabits the same situations as the minutus, and they
are frequently taken together. I have found it in the Solway
Firth, and in much greater plenty on the southern coast of
England. It spawns in June, and is of little value except
as food for other fishes and aquatic birds."

Mr. Jenyns' description is as follows : —

" Length, three inches two lines. Form closely resembling
the miiiutus, but more elongated and slender throughout ;
greatest depth barely one-seventh of the whole length : snout
rather longer : opercle approaching more to triangular, the

SLENDEK GOBY. ^3

lower angle being more cut away, and the ascending margin
more oblique ; a larger space between it and the pectorals :
the two dorsals further asunder : rays of the second dorsal
longer ; these rays also gradually increasing in length, instead
of decreasing^ the posterior ones being the longest in the fin,
and rather more than equalling the whole depth : rays of the
anal in like manner longer than in G. minutiis.
The fin-rays in number are —

D.6. 12 : P. 21 : V. 12 : A. 12. : C. 13, and two short rays.

In all other respects similar. The colours also resembling
those of minutus, with the exception of the anal and ventral
fins, which are dusky, approaching to black in some places,
instead of plain white, as in the minutus.''''

The vignette below represents the cranium of Gohius
niger.

24 GOBIOIDE.

A CA KmOPrER YGll. 0 OBIOID.E.

#^

THE ONE-SPOTTED GOBY.

Gobius unipunctatus.

Gobius unipunctatus, One-spotted Goby, Parnell, Memoirs of the Wernerian

Nat. Hist. Sec. vol. vii. p. 243.

This Goby, says Dr. Parncll, " docs not appear to have
been noticed by previous authors. I have observed it in
most of tlie sandy bays in the Firth of Forth ; but in greater
numbers, and of larger size, in the neighbourhood of the
salmon-nets above South Queensferry, where it may be found
throughout the summer months in water from two to three
feet deep. I found it on the south coast of England, equal-
ly common with the Gobius nmiutus, or Freckled Goby.
I have also found it in many situations where the minutus
was not seen ; and the minutus has been taken in many places
where the imipunctatus did not exist. The most northern
locality in Avhich it has yet been observed appears to be the
Moray Firth, where James Wilson, Esq. obtained a fine
specimen of three and a half inches in length.""

" This fish, although closely allied to the other species of
the same genus, is undoubtedly quite distinct from them ; the
black spot on the first dorsal fin being far more constant and

ONE-SPOTTED GOBY. 25

conspicuous than any character wliich distinguishes the rest
of the British Gobies, The only species it can well be mis-
taken for is the G. minutus, but differs from it in having a
black spot between the fifth and sixth ray of the first dorsal
fin ; the second dorsal with eleven rays, and the tail fin even
at the extremity. Whereas the G. minutus has no black
spot between the fifth and sixth ray of the first dorsal fin ;
the rays of the second dorsal ten in number, and the tail fin
rounded at the end.""

A specimen, two inches and a half in length, is thus de-
scribed by Dr. Parnell. " Body rather elongated, rounded
in front, compressed at the tail ; flattened on the nape ; head
long in proportion to its depth, one fourth of the length, in-
cluding half the caudal rays ; operculum and preoperculum
rounded. Colour of the head, back, and sides, pale brownish
yellow ; throat and belly white ; dorsal and caudal fins
freckled and barred with pale brown ; first dorsal fin with a
black spot between the two last rays, which assumes a beau-
tiful appearance when newly taken from the water ; lateral
line crossed by six or seven dark spots, the one at the base
of the tail being most conspicuous. First dorsal fin with fine
flexible spiny rays, of which the second and third are rather
the longest, commencing behind the base of the pectorals,
and ending in a line over the end of the pectoral rays ; se-
cond dorsal fin remote from the first, commencing in a line
over the vent, and ending over the last ray of the anal ; the
anterior rays longer than the terminal ones ; all flexible and
branched, except the first, which is simple ; anal fin similar
to the second dorsal, leaving a wide space between its termi-
nation and the base of the caudal rays ; ventral fins united so
as to form but one fin ; the middle rays the longest, extend-
ing to the vent ; each ray is branched except the first and
last, which are very short and simple ; between each is
stretched a membrane, forminsr the base of the ventral disk.

S6 GOBIOID.K.

Pectorals, Avlicn turned forward, reaching to the middle of
the orbit ; the middle rays the longest ; tail even at the end.
Eyes rather large, placed high on the head, approximating ;
cheeks tumid ; under jaw the longest ; teeth small and sharp,
placed in two rows in each jaw, none on the tongue, palatine
bones, or vomer ; a small tubercle in front of the anal fin.
Number of fin-rays : —

D. 6. 11 : P. 16 : V. 10 : A. 11 : C. 15.

The vignette below is a representation of the barnacle.

WHITE GOBY. ^7

ACANTHOPTERYGII. GOBIOWJE.

THE WHITE GOBY.

Gobius albus.

Gobhis albus, The White Goby, Parnell, Transactions of the Royal Society
of Edinburgh, vol. xiv.

This species of Goby, Dr. Parnell observes, " holds such
a conspicuous place in the genus, that it cannot well be mis-
taken for any other. I first noticed it in the Solway Firth,
in June 1836, where I obtained in one day, after the recess
of the tide, fifty specimens. They are evidently the fry of a
large species. When first taken from the water they are soft
and transparent ; the eyes are large and prominent ; the scales
which cover their body are large, thin, and very deciduous.
The length is about two inches ; the head is large ; the gape
is wide ; the teeth are long and sharp, placed in a single row
in each jaw. The first dorsal fin commences over the ante-
rior third of the pectorals ; the second dorsal fin commences
over the vent, and ends opposite to the base of the last anal
rays. The cheeks are tumid ; the border of the operculum
rounded ; the body is transparent, and marked by a number
of fine depressed lines, placed in an oblique direction ; the
lateral line is straight throughout its length. The number
of the fin-rays are —

D. 5. 13 : P. 16 : V. 13 : A. 13 : C. 12.

The last ray of tlic anal and second dorsal fin is longer than
the first, and reaches, when folded down, to the base of the
tail rays. These fishes are supposed (erroneously) by the
fishermen to be the young of the Sting-fish, Trachinus vi-
pera, and are consequently destroyed whenever they come
within their reach. On transferring them to a bottle of alco-
hol they lose their transparent aspect, and become hard and
opaque. In the month of July, when I had occasion to re-
visit the Solway Frith, I endeavoured to obtain additional
specimens, presuming that by this time they would have
somewhat increased in size ; but not a single specimen could
be found, nor has the parent fish ever come within the obser-
vation of the fishermen.

" The first dorsal fin of this fish, as possessing bvit five
rays, is sufficient to distinguish it from every other British
species of the same genus."

The teeth in this species are also more formidable in pro-
portion to the size of the fish than those of any other British
Gobv.

JAGO S GOLDSINNY,

ACANTHOPTERYGII.

LABRID/E.

^^^-

JAGO'S GOLDSINNY.

Crenilahrus rupestris.

Scitrna rupestris,
Lahrus , ,

Perca
Littjanns
lahrus ,
Perca ,

Crenilahrus

Goldsinnif, Ray, Syn. Pise. p. 163, tab. 1, f. 3.
Mus. Adol.Fr.pl. 31, f. 65.
Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 478, sp. 27.
MuLLER, Prod. Zool. Dan. p. 45,

sp. 382.
MuLLER, Zool. Dan. tab. 107.
Block, pt. vii. tab. 250, f. 1.
Nils. Prod. Icht. Scand. p. 76, sp. 5.
Rltz. Faun. Suec. p. 337, sp. 73.
Gohlsinny, Selby, Mag. Zool. and Bot. vol. i.

p. 167.
,, Thompson', Mag. Zool. and Bot.

vol. ii. p. 445.
Thompson, Zool. Proc. 1837, p. 57.
Fries and Ekstrom, Scandinavian

Fishes, pt. ii. pi. 3, fig. 1.

In the month of February 1 836, Dr. George Johnston ob-
tained three specimens of the Lutjanus rupestris of Bloch,
two of which were picked up in Berwick Bay, and the third
near Barncleugh ; these specimens were thrown on shore after

30 LABRIDE.

a violent storm, and having been sent by Dr. Johnston to his
friend Mr, Selby, became the subject of a notice in the first
volume of the Magazine of Zoology and Botany, as quoted
under the figure of the fish here given.

This fish Mr. Selby most correctly referred to the Gold-
sinny of Jago, in the Synopsis of our countryman and natu-
ralist John Ray, who appears to have been the first to make
it known ; but this fish being also a northern species, was
afterwards figured and described in the various works here
quoted among the synonymes. Since the occurrence of the
specimens on our eastern coast, Mr. Thompson of Belfast
has obtained two others at Bangor, County of Down, where
they were caught, with one or two other species of Wrasse,
by angling boys. I have received from T. S. Rudd, Esq.
two beautifully coloured examples of this fish, which were
taken on the Yorkshire coast, from the finest of which the
figure here engi-aved was drawn ; one specimen has also been
taken on the coast of North Wales by my friend Mr. Tho-
mas Eyton. Among some Labri supplied me by Mr. Couch
from Cornwall, before the occurrence of the specimens in
Berwick Bay, was a small fish of this species, but being by
accident somewhat discoloured and distorted, and this species
differing in colour when young, I did not recognize it as the
Lutjanus rupestris of Bloch, but figured it as a vignette to
the Scale-rayed of the British Fishes, vol. i. p. 300. Since
that time Mr. Couch has very kindly supplied mc with more
small specimens, which will enable me to describe this fish
as it appears at different stages of its growth, premising, how-
ever, that I have seen no examples of more than seven inches
in length.

This species is taken occasionally in the Baltic ; in Swe-
den, Denmark, and Norway, where it is sometimes caught l)y
angling from rocks, as in this country. Another coloured
figure of this fish has recently a])peared in the new work of

JAGO'S GOLDSINNY. 81

MM. Fries and Ekstrom, on tlic Fishes of Scandinavia, now
in course of publication, in parts, at Stockholm.

The length of the specimen here described was six inches
and a half. The length of the head one inch and three quar-
ters ; the diameter of the eye three eighths and a half, or one
fourth of the length of the head ; the irides silvery ; the
teeth, long, strong, curved, and pointed, particularly in the
anterior part of the upper jaw ; both preoperculum and opercu-
lum covered with scales ; the preoperculum distinctly crenated
throughout the greater part of its ascending edge ; the dorsal
and pectoral fin commence on the same vertical line ; the
membrane connecting the first four spinous dorsal rays black;
the spinous rays shortest at the comn)encement of the fin,
becoming gradually, but slightly, more elongated towards their
union Avith the soft rays, and in length about equal to one
fourth of the depth of the body of the fish ; the soft rays
more lengthened ; from the base of the last of which to the
end of the caudal rays, is about the same length as that of
the head, and about one fourth of the whole length of the
fish. Half way between the base of the last soft dorsal ray
and the extreme end of the caudal rays, there is on the upper
edge of the body and tail a conspicuous roundish black spot,
equally visible on either side ; the caudal fin-rays scaled from
their base on a line with this black spot half way along, the
ends of the caudal rays slightly rounded ; the anal fin with
three spiny rays, and ending with elongated soft rays, the
base of the last of which is a little in advance of the base of
the last soft dorsal ray in a vertical line ; the ventral fin
begins a little behind and below the base of the pectoral fin ;
the pectoral is in length, compared to the length of the
fish, as one to seven. The prevailing colour in the largest
specimen is orange, the free edge of each scale being of
a light golden yellow ; the colour is darkest over the three or
four lines of scales along the highest part of the back, and

82

lifi:litcst on the lower part of tlic sides and belly ; the body is
also indistinctly marked with five transverse bands, the first
of which descends from below the more anterior spinous rays
of the dorsal fin, and the fifth from below the elongated soft
rays of the dorsal fin ; but I have never seen these bands near
so strongly marked as they are made to appear in Bloch's
coloured figure, the ground colour of the body of which re-
sembles that of one of my specimens. Young examples of
this species are of a uniform yellowish flesh colour ; the fins
still lighter ; but the black spot at the commencement of the
dorsal fin, and on the upper part of the base of the tail, arc
very conspicuous from the uniform paleness of the body and
fins generally, and, but for these two constant spots, are not
unlike the Lahrus pusillus of Mr. Jenyns, as figured in this
Supplement. These spots appear to be good distinctions ;
very young specimens of Crenilahrus cornuhicus, which in
the British Fishes should have been called the Corkwing, are
constantly marked with the spot on the middle of the side of
the tail, in specimens measuring only one inch and a half in
length. The fin-ray formula in Jago's Goklsinny is —

D. 17 -f 9 : P. 14 : V. 1 + 5 : A. 3 -(- 7 : C. 13.

The number of scales along the lateral line is thirty-two,
and four or five more extend along the basal half of the rays
of the caudal fin ; there are four rows of scales between the
lateral line and the dorsal ridge, and eleven rows of scales
between the lateral line and the anal aperture.

M. Nilsson says, this species is liable to variations in co-
lour, and some of the species taken in Northern localities are
tino-cd with green.

CORKLING.

38

ACAA'THOPTERVGII.

LAB1UD3:.

THE CORKLING.

Crenilahrus pnsilius.

Turdus miiwr, Corkling, Ray, Syn. Pise. p. 165.

Labrus pusillvs, ,, .Ienyns, Brit. Vert. p. 392, sp. 70.

Crenilabrus midtidentatus, Ball's Wrasse, Thompson, Pioc. Zool. Soc. 1837,

p. 56.

This species, of which no examples more than four inches
in lengtli have been as yet recorded, was obtained by Pro-
fessor Henslow at Weymouth, and four or five specimens are
now preserved in the Museum of the Cambridge Philoso-
phical Society. I possess one which was sent me by Mr.
Couch from Cornwall ; and Mr. Thompson of Belfast has
recorded the occurrence of three others, which were taken at
Youghal in Ireland, by Mr. Ball, in the summer of 1835.

These last specimens were characterised by Mr. Thomp-
son in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society for 1 887,
page 56 — not without some hesitation — as a new species,
under the name of Crenilabrus midtidentatus ; but subse-
quent comparative examinations of the specimens of the two
countries, appear to show that they are identical, and they
are here therefore brousfht together.

34

LAHRIUE.

Mr. .Tcnyns"' description of a specimen, four inches in
Icnc^th, is as follows : — " Distinguished by its small size.
Back but little elevated, sloping very gradually towards the
snout ; ventral line more convex than the dorsal ; sides com-
pressed : depth contained about three times and three quar-
ters in the entire length ; thickness half the depth, or barely
so much ; head one-fourth of the entire length : snout rather
sharp ; jaws equal : teeth of moderate size, conical, regular,
about sixteen or eighteen in each jaw : eyes rather high in
the cheeks, situate half-way between the upper angle of the
preopercle and the margin of the first upper lip ; the space
between about equal to their diameter, marked with a de-
pression ; a row of elevated pores above each orbit : preoper-
cle with the ascending margin very oblique ; the basal angle,
which falls a little anterior to a vertical line from the poste-
rior part of the orbit, very obtuse, and remarkably charac-
terised by a few minute denticulations, which further on be-
come obsolete, and in some specimens are scarcely anywhere
obvious : lateral line a little below one-fourth of the depth ;
nearly straight till opposite the end of the dorsal, then bend-
ing rather suddenly downwards, and again passing off straight
to the caudal ; number of scales on the lateral line about
forty-five : dorsal commencing at one-third of the length,
excluding caudal ; spinous portion nearly three-fourths of the
whole fin, the spines very slightly increasing in length from
the first to the last, which last is not quite one-third of the
depth of the body ; soft portion a little higher than the spi-
nous, of a somewhat rounded form, the middle rays equalling
nearly half the depth : anal commencing a little anterior to
the soft portion of the dorsal, and terminating a little before
it ; the first three rays spinous, the third being the longest,
but the second the stoutest spine ; soft rays resembling those
of the dorsal : caudal nearly even, with rows of scales be-
tween the rays for neai'ly half their length : pectorals rounded,

CORKLING. 35

about two-thirds the length of the head, immediately beneath
the commencement of the dorsal ; all the rays soft and arti-
culated, and, except the first, branched : ventrals a little
shorter ; the first ray spinous, shorter than the second and
third, which are longest ; all the soft rays branched ; the last
ray united to the abdomen by a membrane for half its length.

B. 5 : D. 20 -I- 10 or 11 : P. 14 : V. 1 -f 5 :A. 3-]- 9. : C 13.

Colours of specimens in spirits yellowish brown, with irre-
gular transverse bands ; dorsal irregularly spotted with fus-
cous ; anal light brown ; the other fins pale."

" It is apparently," says Mr. Jenyns, " quite distinct
from any of those described by other authors. Though be-
longing to the present section (Labrus), which it is conve-
nient to retain, it would seem to form the transition to the
Crenilabri, to which its near affinity is indicated by the
rudimentary denticulations on the margin of the preopercle.'"

The vignette below represents the bones of the head in the
genus Labrus.

86

ACANTHOPTERYGJl.

'<JS?

THE SMALL-MOUTHED WRAS^,

OR ROCK COOK.

Crenilabrus exoletus.

Lahrui eavleuis, Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 479, sp. 33.

,, ,, ,, Faun. Suec. p. 117, sp. 331.

MuLLER, Prod. Zool. JJan. p. 46, sp. 386.
Fab. Faun. Gioenl.p. 166, sp. 120.
,, Retz, Faun. Suec p. 335, sp. 67.

,, ,, Nils. Prod. Icht. Scand. p. 77, sp. 7.

,, ,, Fries et Ekst. Scand. Fish. pt. ii. pi. 3, fig. 2.

Crenitalirus micrnstomu. Small-mouthed Wrasie, Thomvson , Zool. Pioc. 1<')37.

p. 55.
Mag. Zool. & liot.
vol. ii, p. 446, pi. 14.
,, ,, Rock Cook, Couch, Cornisli Fauna, p. 39.

Soon after the publication of the British Fislics, Mr.
Coucli very kindly supplied me Avitli two examples of this
Small-mouthed Wrasse, a species which I had not till then
seen, and which on the Cornisli coast is called the Rock
Cook, where it is not so common as the Corkwing (Creni-
labrus Cnrnubicus), nor does it take a bait like that fish, but
is generally caught in the pots set for crabs. Since that
time Mr. Thompson has recorded the occurrence of this spe-
cies in two northern localities in Ireland, at Cairnlough in

SMALL-MOUTHED WRASSE. 37

the county of Antrim, and at Lougli Foyle in the county of
Londonderry. At the former place the fish was found by
Dr. Drummond, and at both places by Captain Portlock.

Although this fish was moat appropriately called micro-
stoma, for it may be immediately distinguished when among
other Crenilabri by this very obvious peculiarity, it proves
to be a species long known to more northern naturalists,
Mr. Thompson has given a coloured representation of this
fish in the second volume of the Magazine of Zoology and
Botany, as previously quoted, and the recent publication
at Stockholm of another coloured figure in the second part of
the Fishes of Scandinavia, by MM. Fries and Ekstrom,
leave no doubt of the two fishes being the same, and enable
us to identify our species as the Labrus exoletus of Linnaeus.
It is a fish of small size, seldom exceeding four inches or
four inches and a half in length, and is taken occasionally on
the coasts of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, and, according
to Fabricius, as for north as Greenland, where, however, it
is said to be rare.

The specimen from which the figure and description were
taken, measured four inches in length, and one inch and one
quarter in depth ; the length of the head compared to that of
the whole fish, is as one to four, or rather less. This species
exhibits a slight elevation over the eye in the line of the
frontal profile ; the figure here given marks the true position
and relative length of the various fins. The teeth are flat,
even, and incisor-like, with the corners slightly rounded ;
some light-coloured lines extend from the mouth to the
orbit, and over part of the cheek ; the irides are silvery ; the
colour of the head and body is dark brown on the upper part,
passing into pale wood-brown underneath, and on the sides
and belly ; the colour of the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins
dark brown ; the pectoral and ventral fins lighter ; and my
specimens having been many months preserved in spirits

38 LABRID.E.

have lost some of the lighter tints which the coloured figure
of Mr. Thompson's fish, and that also of MM. Fries and
Ekstrom exhibit. The formula of the fin-rays is —

D. 19 + 6 : P. 13 : V^ 1 +.5 : A. 6+7 : C. 12, and 2 shorter rays.

The number of Scales forming the lateral line are thirty-
two, Avith four rows above to the dorsal edge, and eleven
below to the anal aperture.

The vignette represents a mode of fishing practised in
South America,

THE POMEKANIAN BREAM. 89

ABDOMINAL

MALACOPTERYGII. CYPRWIDM.

THE POMERANIAN BREAM.

Ahramis Buggenhagii.

Cyprinus BuggenhagiU Carpe de Buggenhagen, Bloch, vol. iii. pi. 95.
Abramis, „ Large Scaled Bream, Thompson, Zool. Proc.

1837, p. 56.

I AM indebted to Mr. William Brandon of Chancery
Lane for a fine specimen of this fish which was sent me in
the year 1836 from Dagenham in Essex. Mr, Brandon who
is the renter of the waters at Dagenham Breach, so well
known to the London anglers, and who has frequently
favoured me with examples of other species from this loca-
lity, having taken this Bream in his net with other fish, very
kindly sent it to me with a note stating that it diflfered from
the Bream he had usually caught in that Avater ; and finding
when he reached home and made closer examination, that it
did not accord with the characters of either of the Bream
figured and described in the British Fishes, he begged my
acceptance of it, hoped it might prove of some interest, and
requested to know what it was. I understand from Mr.
Brandon that he has since at diflTerent times taken from twenty
to thirty of the same sort.

40 CYPRINID.E.

Tlic characters of this species are so decided, tliat I liad
no diiFiculty in identifying it as the Cyprimis Buggen/ia^ii
of Bloch ; and on the next visit to London of my friend
William Thompson, Esq. of Belfast, who has devoted such
unwearied attention to the Zoology of Ireland, I found that
he had also obtained an example of the same species of
Bream from the river Lagan, near Belfast, which circum-
stance was made public in the printed Proceedings of the
Zoological Society for 1837, page 56, as already quoted.

This species of Bream is at once distinguished from either
of the two species which have been hitherto found in this
country, by the greater thickness of its body, which is equal
to half its depth ; while in either of our other Bream the
thickness of the body is only equal to one third of its depth ;
the scales of this species are also larger in proportion, although
the figure here given, not having been drawn on a comparative
scale with them, does not exhibit this peculiarity. The anal
fin is shorter and has a smaller number of rays than that of
Ahramis blicca, which in its turn has its anal fin smaller, and
Avith fewer rays than that of Ahramis vulgaris, which is the
Bream most generally known in this country.

This new species was first described by Bloch from speci-
mens found in Swedish Pomerania, in the river Pene, and in
the lakes communicating with it. The specimens were sent
to Bloch by M. Buggenhagen, and hence the trivial name
which has been devoted to it for specific distinction. I have
also called it the Pomeranian Bream, considering it no ob-
jection to attach to this fish the name of the country in which
it was first discovered, although it may happen to have been
afterwards found elsewhere. The fish attains to the length of
twelve or fourteen inches in that country according to Bloch;
the flesh is white, but not much in request on account of the
number of small bones which are found in it. It is taken in
the same manner and by the same means as the common

POMERANIAN BREAM.

41

Bream ; and Bloch reports that the fishermen are greatly
pleased when they take this fish in their nets : they have
learned by experience that when this Bream appears they
shall have a successful fishery : they believe that the other
Bream follow this fish, and the name they have accordingly
bestowed upon it in that country signifies guide or conductor.
Except in Bloch I do not find this species included in either
of the works I possess, or have yet gained access to, which
treat of the fresh-water fishes of the different countries of the
continent of Europe.

The specimen of this fish from Dagenham, from which the
following description was taken, measured fifteen inches in
length, of which the head was three inches, or, compared to
the whole length of the fish, as one to five ; the depth of the
body a little in advance of the line of the first ray of the dor-
sal fin, where the body is deepest, five inches, or one third of
the whole length ; the thickness of the body two inches and
a half, equal to half the depth, or one sixth of the whole
length ; the head is rather small and pointed, the mouth is
also small ; the diameter of the eye about one fifth of the
length of the head, the iris silvery and about the same
breadth as the pupil ; the operculum rather large and angu-
lar; the pectoral fin rather small; half the ventral fin, in
advance of a vertical line falling from the origin of the first
dorsal fin ray ; the dorsal fin commences exactly half way be-
tween the point of the nose and the end of the caudal fin ;
but the base of the dorsal fin in this fish is longer than the
base of the same fin in either of our other species of Bream ;
the anal fin is shorter than that of the shortest of the other
Bream, and has three rays less ; it is also less falcate in form,
or more equal in the length of its rays ; the tail in shape at
its posterior edge rather lunate, the outer rays elongated ; the
formula of the fin rays is

D. 12 : P. 17 : V. 9 : A. 19 ; C. 19 : Veitebrjc 41.

42

CYPRINID.E.

The number of punctured scales forming the lateral line
fifty-two ; from the anterior edge of the dorsal fin to the
lateral line, following the oblique direction of the scales, there
are eleven scales ; from the lateral line downwards to the
base of the pectoral fin, four scales, not including in either
enumeration the punctured scale of the lateral line itself.

Upper part of head and bach dark blackish blue, becoming
lighter on the upper part of the sides, and passing into silvery
white on the lower part of the sides and belly ; pectoral fin,
dorsal fin and tail, bluish brown, tinged with pale red ; ven-
tral and anal fins with less brown and more pale red.

The vignette represents the bones of the head in the com-
mon Bream.

EUROPEAN HEMIBAMPHUS.

ABDOMINAL

MALACOPTERYGII. ESOCID^.

EUROPEAN HEMIRAMPHUS.

Hemiramphus Europeeus,

Hemiramphus EuropcEus, European Hemiramphus, Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837,p.505.

In a valuable communication on the Fishes of Cornwall,
made to the Linnean Society some years ago by Jonathan
Couch, Esq. of Polperro, which was published in the four-
teenth volume of the Transactions of that Society, the author
thus expresses himself in reference to a small fish which ap-
peared to be a species of the genus Hemiramphus : — " I
have met with a species which I have never seen described,
unless it be the Esox Brasiliensis Linn. Syst. Nat. (Hemi-
ramphus Brasiliensis Cuv.) It was taken by me in the
harbour at Polperro, in July 1818, as it was swimming with
agility near the surface of the water. It was about an inch
in length, the head somewhat flattened at the top, the upper
jaw short and pointed, the inferior jaw much protruded,
being at least as long as from the extremity of the upper jaw
to the back part of the gill-covers. The mouth opened ob-
liquely downwards ; but that part of the under jaw which
protruded beyond the extremity of the upper, passed straight
forward in a right line with the top of the head. The body
was compressed, lengthened, and resembled that of the Gar-
pike, Esox belone. It had one dorsal and one anal fin,
placed far behind and opposite to each other. The tail was
straight ; the colour of the back was a bluish green, with a
few spots ; the belly silvery."

u

In August 1837, Dr. Clarke of Tpsu'icli favoured me with
a letter, of whicli tlic following is an extract : — " My brother,
Mr. Edward Clarke of Ipswich, who is particidarly interested
in the study of British fishes, was examining the sea-shore in
the vicinity of Fclixtow, a village in SuiFolk, between Har-
wich and Orford, a few days ago, August 7th 1887, when he
observed a shoal consisting of myriads of small fish, which,
upon a nearer examination, he supposed to be the young of
the Garfish. As he had previously not found any so small,
he secured a few specimens ; and, upon bringing them home
and examining them, they were found not to be the young
of the Garfish, but those of a species of Hemiramphus.
From their being so very young, it probably may be difficult
to determine whether they belong to a described species ;
but from the circumstance of their having been seen in great
abundance in a small pool left by the retiring tide, it is, I
think, pretty evident that the ova must have been deposited
and vivified in the neighbourhood of our shores. I send you
the fish, thinking that an examination of the specimens them-
selves will be far more satisfactory than any figures or descrip-
tion of my own. One specimen was taken about double the
size of those now sent to you."

The representation of this fish is half as large again as the
natural size. It can scarcely be doubted from the quantity
of fry seen, as well as from their very small size, that the
spawn from which they were produced must have been
deposited on our shores by the parent fish ; and yet, as far
as we are aware, these parent fish have hitherto escaped
capture. This might not appear very extraordinary ; but
from the circumstance that the size attained by the fry in
the months of July and August, as well as the general simi-
larity in the form and appearance of the Hemiramphus to
our well-known Garfish and Saury-pike, would lead to the be-
lief that the ILmirumphus visited our shores about the same

EUROPEAN HEMIRAMPHUS. 45

time of the year as these fishes. The Garfish appears on the
coast in April, and spawns in May ; the Saury-pike makes
its first appearance in June. For these fish, but particu-
larly for the former, nets are worked on various parts of
the coast, and considerable quantities are taken ; but no
adult specimens of Hemiramphus, unless we are to suppose
they have remained hitherto unrecognised by the fishermen.
It is also not a little singular, that up to the present time,
with the exception of the small specimens already referred to,
as taken at two places very distant from each other, no ex-
ample of any species of Hemiramphus has been found, either
in the Mediterranean, the Channel, or in the North seas. I
have lately had an opportunity of conversing with two emi-
nent foreign naturalists, to whom I showed the specimens,
who agreed with me that no adult species of Hemiramphus
had been recorded as found in the seas of Europe.

One question may be hazarded, — Is this fish, with its une-
qually developed jaws, the very young state of our common
Garfish {Belone vulgaris)? Except in the peculiarity of
the mouth, it is certainly very like it ; but our young Garfish
of the year taken in December, when they are about seven
inches long, specimens of which I possess, have the upper
jaw of the same comparative length as the lower one.
Another season or two will probably decide the question,
and it will be as interesting, in an ichthyological point of
view to be able to determine this to be the young state
of Belone as that there exists a true Hemiramphus in the
seas of Europe.

The two examples obligingly sent me by Dr. Clarke, are
too young and too minute to make any attempt to define
specific characters desirable, beyond such as the remarks of
Mr. Couch, and the representation here given will supply ;
and I only propose, for distinction's sake, that it should be
called Hemiramphus Europaeus.

46

ABDOMINAL

MALACOPTERYGJL

ESOCIDJf:.

THE GREATER FLYING FISH.

ExocMus cxiliens.

Hirundo, Belon, p. 195.

Mitgil alatus. Rondelet, Lat. E. p. 267.

Mtige volant, " Fr. E. p. 211.

Will, tab. P. f. 4.

Mtige volant, Duuamel, PI. 2, Sec. 8, pi. 6, f. 3.
Hirondelle de mer, „ PI. 2, Sec. 3, pi. 22, f. 2.

Exoc<£tus exiliens, Le Muge volant, Bloch, pt. 12, pi. 397.

In a Cornish Fauna, by Jonathan Couch, Esq. which has
recently been published for the Royal Institution of Corn-
wall, Mr. Couch has included a species of Flyinfjf Fish which
threw itself on to the Quay at Plymouth, and the specimen is
still preserved. From an inspection of this example Mr.
Couch was enabled to determine that it was the Greater Fly-
ing Fish, Exoc(£tus exiliens^ or Le Muge volant of Bloch,
the well-known species of the Mediterranean ; and Mr. Couch
adds, that he has reason to believe, from the dimensions as

GREATER FLYING FISH. 47

given to him by tlie possessor, tliat the individual Flying Fish
which was found at Helford, where it was discovered on the
sand, having just then expired, was of the same species.
This specimen, which is in the possession of Mr. John Fox
of Plymouth, measures sixteen inches in length.

The elongated ventral fins, placed very far backwards,
readily serve to distinguish this fish, which has long been well
known in the Mediterranean, and was, I believe, first figured
by Belon in the year 1553, by Rondelet in his Latin edition
in 1554, and in the French edition printed at Lyons in 1558.
For the general habits of the Flying Fish, the reader may
consult the first volume of the History of British Fishes,
page 398. Bloch says that the Greater Flying Fish attains
the length of eighteen inches ; and the specimen from which
the representation in the work of Duhamel was taken, measured
sixteen inches. Bloch says this fish is found in the Red Sea
as well as in the Mediterranean. Our countryman Wil-
loughby saw it in Calabria. Rondelet states that it is found
in quantity at the mouth of the Rhone, and Duhamel
mentions that, besides being plentiful in the Mediterranean,
it had also been taken in the ocean. The flesh of this fish is
rich, and is said to be more delicate than that of the herring.
The head is wide and flat on the top, but somewhat angu-
lar underneath ; the mouth is small, the lower jaw rather longer
than the upper ; both jaws are furnished with pointed teeth,
those in the lower jaw being the smaller of the two ; the eyes
are large, the irides silvery, the pupil dark blue ; the nostrils
large, and placed rather nearer to the eye than to the point of
the nose; the operculum has the appearance of polished
steel ; the body of the fish is covered with large scales, which
adhere but slightly ; the upper part of the body is a fine blue
colour, the lower part silvery white ; the lateral line is placed
very low down and rvms throughout its whole length, but lit-
tle above, and parallel to, the ventral profile ; the pectoral

48 KSOriDF,.

fins arc very largo and of a fine transparent blue colour; tlie
ventral fins long, and almost rounded at tlic end ; the dorsal
and anal fins arc falcate, beginning and ending nearly on the
same plane ; the tail consists of two unequally sized lobes, of
wliieli tlic lower lobe is the larger. The fin ray formula, ac-
cording to Bloch, is

B, 10: D. 11: P. 18: V. 6 : A. 12: C. 22.

According to M. Risso, the female is heavy with roe in
the spring, and is remarkable for the variations that occur in
the number of the rays of her fins.

END OF THE SUPPLEMENT TO THE FIRST VOLUME,

London : Printoil liv Sanni(>l P>piitlov, Banyor House, Shoe Lane.

SUPPLEMENT

TO THE SECOND VOLUME OF THE

HISTORY OF BRITISH FISHES.

ABDOMINAL

MALACOPTERYGII.

SALMONIDjE.

1^ (M'-^-^A--

w^. it ,^'j ■it-'-i *

THE SALMON.

Salmo salar, Auctorum, British Fishes, vol. ii. p. 1.

Since the publication of that part of the History of
British Fishes which contains an account of the Salmon,
Mr. John Shaw of Drumlanrig, Dumfriesshire has printed
in the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal for July 1 886
and January 1838, detailed particulars of various interesting
and valuable experiments, made by himself, on the develope-
ment and growth of the fry of the Salmon, from their ex-
clusion from the ova to the age of seven months.

Three ponds, varying in size, one eighteen feet by twenty-

VOL. II. B

SALMONID.E.

two, the second eighteen feet by twenty-five, and the third
thirty feet by fifty, were prepared at a convenient distance
from a Sahnon river, (the Nith,) the ponds two feet deep,
thickly embedded with gravel, and supplied from a small
stream of spring Avater, in which the larvoj of insects Avere
abundant. The distance from the river to the ponds is
stated as rather less than fifty yards, a proximity, it is ob-
served, " sufficient to place the young fish confined in them
on a similar footing with those in the river, so far as situa-
tion is concerned. The average temperature of the water is
also nearly the same in both ; that of the rivulet, however,
being rather higher and less variable than that of the Nith.""
The experiments were conducted with great care. The
ponds being prepared, the next object was to secure the fish,
the progeny of which were to form the subject of observation.
" With the view, therefore, of securing two Salmon, male
and female, Avhile engaged in the performance of the act by
which the species is propagated, Mr. Shaw provided himself
with an iron hoop five feet in diameter, on which he fixed a
net of a pretty large mesh, so constructed as to form a bag
nine feet in length by five feet in width. The hoop and net
were then attached to the end of a pole nine feet long, thus
forming a landing net on a large scale. The weight of the
net with its iron hoop being upwards of seven pounds, it in-
stantly sunk to the bottom when thrown into the water.""*

" Being thus prepared with the means of carrying his ex-
periment into execution, Mr. Shaw proceeded to the river
Nith on the 27th January 1837, and readily discovered a
pair of adult Salmon depositing their spawn. Before pro-
ceeding to take the fish, he formed a small trench in the
shingle by the edge of the stream, through which he directed
a small current of water from the river two inches deep. At
the end of this trench was placed an earthenware basin of
considerable size, for the purpose of ultimately receiving the

ova. The fish were then, at one instant, both enclosed in
the hoop, and allowed to find their way into the bag of the
net by the aid of the stream. Having drawn them ashore,
the female, while still alive, was placed in the trench, and a
quantity of the ova pressed from her body. The male was
then placed in the same situation, and a quantity of the milt
being pressed from his body, passed down the stream, and
thoroughly impregnated the ova. The spawn was then
transferred to the basin, and deposited in the stream of the
feeder to the first pond. The temperature of the stream was
40 deg., and that of the river from which the Salmon were
taken S6 deg. The skins of the parent Salmon were pre-
served and exhibited, that no doubt as to the species might
be entertained. The weight of the male when taken was six-
teen pounds, and that of the female eight pounds."

Without following Mr. Shaw through the details on this,
as on three or four other occasions, it may be sufficient to
state, that the young fish ruptures the external capsule of the
ovum, or may be said to be hatched in about

114 days when the temperature of the water is 36°
101 „ „ „ „ 43°

90 „ „ „ ,, 45°

When first emerging from the membrane within which the
young fish has been enclosed, the remains of the yolk or
vitelline portion of the ovum is still attached by its own
capsule to the abdomen of the fish as represented in the
figure No. 1, which is taken from a specimen given me some
years ago by Sir William Jardine. The remains of the yolk
supplies nourishment to the young fish till it is able to take
food by the mouth. Mr. Sliaw has ascertained that the yolk
is absorbed in twenty-seven days. At the end of two months
the young fish is one inch and one quarter long, and the
figure No. 2 is from Mr. Shaw's representation. At the end
of four months the young fish measures two inches and a half

4 SALMONID.E,

in length, and at the end of six months it had attained the
length of three inches and three quarters.

From these experiments Mr. Shaw infers, that the growth
of the young of the Salmon has been much oven-ated ; that
as the young Salmon in its progress assumes at a certain age
the markings and colour of the Parr ; that the Parr, as a dis-
tinct species, does not exist ; and finally, that the young of
the Salmon do not go down to the sea till they are more than
twelve months old at the least, that is sometime during their
second year, if not still later than that.

That the young of the Salmon, from their particular ap-
pearance at a certain age, have been constantly called Parrs, I
readily admit ; but so have also the young of two other
migratory species, S. trutta and .S". eriox ; T think, there-
fore, that this is not conclusive evidence of the non-existence
of a distinct small fish, to which the name of Parr ought to
be exclusively applied ; it rather shows the want of power
among general observers to distinguish between the young of
closely allied species, three or four of which are indiscrimi-
nately called Parrs.

That the rate of growth in the young of the Salmon has
been exaggerated may be very true ; but the rate of the
growth of the fry in Mr. Shawn's ponds cannot be expected to
equal that which would have taken place in the open river.
Circumscribed in space over which to roam, and limited in
food, as to variety at least, if not in quantity, in small ponds,
the growth would be retarded in proportion ; and this cir-
cumstance seems proved by Mr. Shawns own remark, in which
he states that the fish in the third pond (the largest pond of
the three) " were considerably larger than those in the first
pond, the difference in length at the age of six months
amounting to an inch, or more than one fifth.

That the young fish do not go down to the sea till their
second year, I am willing to believe on Mr. Shaw's authority,

because he has devoted great attention to the subject, and
has for years had opportunities for observation which give
great weight to his opinion. I have thus purposely adverted
to the experiments of Mr. Shaw on account of their great
interest, merit, and value ; and because I am now enabled,
through the kindness of Thomas Lister Parker, Esq., to
offer a continuation of remarks on the growth of the Salmon in
fresh water, which illustrate and confirm some of the views of
Mr. Shaw ; and in order to prevent any m.isconception of the
terms employed, I shall speak of the young Salmon of the
first year as a Pink ; in its second year, till it goes to sea,
as- a Smolt ; in the autumn of the second year as Salmon
Peal, or Grilse, and afterwards as adult Salmon.

In the autumn of the year 1835, Thomas Upton, Esq. of
Ingmire Hall, situated between Sedbergh and Kendal, be-
gan to enlarge a lake on his property, and in the spring of
1836, some Pinks from the Lune, a Salmon river which runs
through a valley not far from the lake, were put into it.
This lake, called Lillymere, has no communication with the
sea, nor any outlet by which fish from other waters can get
in, or by which those put in can get out. The Pinks when
put into Lillymere did not certainly weigh more than two or
three ounces each. Sixteen months afterwards, — that is, in
the month of August 1837, Thomas L. Parker, Esq. then
visiting his friend, fished Lillymere, desirous of ascertaining
the growth of the Pinks, and with a red palmer fly caught
two Salmon Peal in excellent condition, silvery bright in
colour, measuring fourteen inches in length, and weighing
fourteen ounces. One was cooked and eaten, the flesh pink
in colour, but not so red as those of the river ; well flavoured,
and like that of a Peal. The other was sent to me in spirit
of wine, and a drawing of it immediately taken. In the
month of July 1838, eleven months after, another small
Salmon was caught, equal to the first in condition and colour,

t) SALMONID.E.

about two inches lonfj^cr and three ounces heavier. No doubt
was entertained that these were two of the Pinks transferred
to the lake in the spring of 1836, the first of which had been
retained sixteen months, and the other twenty-seven months,
in this fresh- water lake.

Desirous of ascertaining the appearance of the young
Salmon at periods intermediate between the states as Pinks
and Salmon Peal, other experiments were tried. Pinks in
the river Hodder in the month of April are rather more than
three inches long, and are considered to be the fry of that
year : at this time, Smolts of six inches and a half are also
taken. The smolts are considered as the fry of the pre-
vious year, and are distinguished by the blue colour on the
upper half of their body, the silvery tint of the lower half,
and the darker hue of the fins generally as compared Avith
those of the Pink. In this state as to colour, the Smolts arc
said to have assumed their migratory dress and go down to
the sea in May. In June the young Pink in the Hodder
measures about four inches ; in July it measures five inches,
and no Smolts are then found in the river. To be further
convinced of this change, and the length of time required
to produce it, a Pink put into a well at Whitewcll* in the
forest of Bowland in November 1837, was taken out in
the state of a Smolt of six inches and a quarter in July
1838. In another instance more Pinks by Mr. Upton's
directions were put into Lillymere in September 1 837, and
Mr. Parker caught five or six in the state of Smolts of seven
and a half inches in August 1838. In referring to the par-
ticular size of the Pinks in the river Hodder at stated
periods, it may be necessary to remark that the Pinks of
different rivers, and even in the same river, will be found to
vary in size, depending on the time at which the spawn was
deposited, the temperature of the season, and other causes.

* For a view of Whitcwell, see Biitisli Fishes, vol. ii. p. 88.

I may here observe tliat I am indebted to the kindness
and liberality of Thomas Lister Parker, Esq. for a variety of
specimens, as well as for the requisite information concerning
them. Of the various fishes, when received, accurate drawings
were immediately made, and coloured representations of six
examples at different ages, in illustration of this subject, are
in preparation, and may be had distinct from this supple-
ment.

A knowledge of the growth of young Salmon in a fresh-
water lake, as here described, and the experiment has sue-;
ceeded elsewhere,* may be useful to those gentlemen who
possess lakes near Salmon rivers from which they can supply
them with Pinks : whether the Salmon thus prevented going
to salt water will still retain sufficient constitutional power to
mature their roe, and by depositing it in the usual manner,
as far as circumstances permit, produce their species, would
be a subject worthy of further investigation. That the rate
of growth in young Salmon has some reference to the size of
the place to which they are restricted, as hinted when de-
scribing Mr. Shaw's experiments, receives further confirma-
tion in these river, lake, and well specimens. The Smolt
taken from the well in July 1838, where it had been con-
fined for eight months, was rather smaller in size at that
time than the Smolts in the Hodder in the preceding April,
though both were Pinks of the same year, namely 1837.
The Smolt taken from the lake in August 1838, which then
measured seven inches and a half, had also grown more rapid-
ly than that in the well, but had not acquired the size it
would have gained had it been allowed to go to sea.
Further, it may be observed, that the Salmon Peal from the
lake in August 1837, then eighteen months old, though per-
fect in colour, is small for its age; while that of July 1838,
or twenty-nine months old, is comparatively still more dcfi-
* See British Fishes, vol. ii. p. 21.

» SALMONID.E,

cient in growth, supposing both fish to have resulted from
Pinks of the year 1836, and put into the lake at the same
time ; of which there was no doubt, since the lake, the for-
mation of which, though commenced in the autumn of 1885,
was not finished till February 1836, soon after which the
first Pinks were put in.

In March 1839, Mr. Upton put six dozen Charr from
Windermere into his lake.

The vignette represents the bones of the head in the
Salmon.

LOCHLEVEN TROUT.

ABDOMINAL
MALACOPTERYGII. SALMONID^E.

THE LOCHLEVEN TROUT.

Salmo Levenensis, Walkek.
,, C(Ecifer, Parnell.

I AM indebted to Dr. Parnell for the loan of a beautiful
specimen of this Trout from which the figure was taken, and the
following account of it by Dr. Parnell is from the seventh
volume of the Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History
Society of Edinburgh.

" This fish is considered by most writers on British Ich-
thyology to be identical with Salmo fario, the common
Trout, diifering from it only in the colour of the flesh, and
in having no red spots on the sides. It is true that food and
season may have a great share in diminishing or increasing
the external markings and colour of the flesh ;* but they can
have no effect in shortening or lengthening the rays of the
fins, or in adding numbers to the csecal appendages."

" The differences that exist between S. cacifer and S.

* James Stuart Monteath, Esq. of Closeburn, caught a number of small river
Trout, and transferred them to a lake (Loch Ettrick) where they grew rapidly ;
their flesh, which previously exhibited a white chalky appearance, became in a
short time of a deep red, while their external appearance remained the same from
the time they were first put in.

10 SALMONIDE.

fario arc very striking. The pectorals in S. cacifer wlicn
expanded arc pointed, in S. fario they arc rounded. The
caudal fin in S. ccecifer is lunated at the end; in S. fario it
is sinuous or even. *S'. C(zcifcr has never any red spots ; S.
fario is scarcely ever without them. Tlie caudal rays arc
much longer in cacifer, than m fario, in fish of equal length.
In S. cacifer the tail fin is pointed at the upper and lower
extremities; in ty-yario they are rounded. The flesh of *S'.
cacifer is of a deep red, that of S. fario is pinkish and often
white. The csecal appendages in S. cacifer are from sixty
to eighty in number ; in »S'. fario I have never found them
to exceed forty-six.*"

" Lochleven (of which the baiTcn isle and now dismantled
castle arc famous in history as the prison-place of the beauti-
ful Queen Mary) has long been celebrated for its breed of
Trout. These, however, have fallen off of late considerably
in their general flavour and condition, owing, it is said, to the
partial drainage of the Loch having destroyed their best feed-
ing ground, by exposing the beds of fresh-water shells, the
animals of which form the greater portion of their food.*
They spawn in January, February, and March."

" The fish described does not appear to be peculiar to this
Loch, as I have seen specimens that Averc taken in some of
the lakes in the county of Sutherland with several other Trout,
Avhich were too hastily considered as mere varieties of S. fario.
It is more than probable that the Scottish lakes produce seve-
ral species of Trout known at present by the name of S. fario,
and which remain to be further investigated."

Dr. Richardson, who has had opportunities of examining
very fine specimens of this celebrated Trout, considers it dis-
tinct from S. fario, and has pointed out some of the diflfer-
ciices between them : the scales are thick, and when dry

* There are two or three varieties of S. fario in Lochleven with white and
pinkish flesh, which are much inferior in flavour to H. cacifer. — Encyc. Brit.

LOCHLEVEN TROUT. 11

exhibit a small ridge in the centre of each, not perceived in
other Trout : in its large and strong fins, and in its habit, as
stated by Dr. Parnell, of spawning in spring, it differs from
S.fario, -which spawns in autumn, and resembles some of the
large species of Trout of the great northern lakes. Three in-
dividuals of the Lochleven Trout dissected by Dr. Richardson
had each seventy-three pyloric cseca, and in one of them fifty-
nine vertebrse were counted. The largest of the specimens
measured twenty inches and a quarter, including the caudal
fin, and two inches less to the end of the scales.

Dr. ParnelFs description, taken from a specimen measuring
one foot in length, is as follows :— " Head rather more than
one-fifth of the whole length ; caudal fin included ; depth be-
tween the dorsal and ventral fins less than the length of the
head. Gill cover produced behind; basal margin of the
operculum oblique ; preopercuhim rounded ; end of the max-
illary extending back as far as the posterior margin of the
orbit. Colour of the back deep olive green ; sides lighter ;
belly inclining to yellow ; pectorals orange, tipped with grey;
dorsal and caudal fins dusky ; ventral and anal fins lighter ;
gill cover with nine round dark spots ; body above the lateral
line with seventy spots ; below it ten ; dorsal fin thickly
marked with spots of a similar kind ; anterior extremities of
the anal and dorsal fins without the oblique dark bands which are
so conspicuous and constant in many individuals of S.fario.
First dorsal fin placed half-way between the point of the
upper jaw and a little beyond the fleshy portion of the caudal
extremity of the body ; all the rays branched except the two
first ; the third ray the longest, equalling the length of the
long caudal ray ; the seventh as long as the base of the fin ;
the last considerably more than half the length of the third,
equalling the length of the middle caudal ray ; fin even at
the end (in many specimens it is concave, with the last ray
longer than the preceding one) ; caudal fin crescent-shaped.

12

SALJrONID.E.

the middle ray ratlier more than lialf the length of the longest
ray ; third ray of the anal fin the longest, equalling the length
of the fifth dorsal ray ; the last ray as long as the base of the
fin, ventral fin equalling the length of the fifth ray of the
anal ; the third ray the longest ; third ray of the pectorals
equalling the length of the long caudal ray ; the last ray half
the length of the fin. Teeth stout and sharp, curved slightly
inwards ; thirty-two in the upper jaw, eighteen on the lower ;
twelve on each palatine bone ; thirteen on the vomer ; and
eight on the tongue. Scales small and adherent ; twenty-
four in an oblique row between the middle dorsal ray and
the lateral line ; flesh deep red ; caeca eighty. The number

of fin rays.

D. 12: p. 12: V. 9 : A. 10: C. 19.

The vignette represents the castle and the island in Loch-

leven.

GREAT LAKE TROUT. 13

ABDOMINAL
MALACOPTERYGII. SALMON ID^.

THE GREAT LAKE TROUT,

OR GREAT GREY TROUT.

Salmoferox, Jardine and Selby, and British Fishes, vol. ii. p. 60.

Since the publication of the History of British Fishes, in
which the existence of the Great Lake Trout in Lough
Neagh, was recorded as ascertained by Mr. Thompson of
Belfast, that gentleman, following up his zoological re-
searches, has learned that this fish exists in Lough Corrib,
in the county of Galway, and also in Lough Erne, in the
county of Fermanagh, thus proving it, to use Mr. Thomp-
son''s words, to be an inhabitant of the three largest lakes in
Ireland, and it will probably yet be found in most of the
lakes of any considerable extent in that country. Mr.
Thompson has very kindly supplied me with a young fish of
this species from which our representation was taken, and
which, difiPering from specimens of large size in having the
spots more numerous, may be an acceptable addition. As
mentioned in the former volume, this Lake Trout, when
small, is in Ireland called a Dolachan ; when large a
Buddagh^ and they are usually caught on night lines baited
with a perch or a pollan. The mode of taking this fish in

14 SALMONIDE.

the large Loclis of Scotland is given in the second volume of
the British Fishes, page 6'] .

I have reason to believe that this same species of Great
Grey Trout is an inhabitant of some of the large lakes of
Scandinavia.

Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson, Bart, visited Sweden last sum-
mer, ascending the Gota river in his yacht, the Syren, and
passing through the celebrated sluices of Tnillhattan, cruised
and fished in Lake Wencrn, visiting his friend Mr. Lloyd,
■who resides near the southern extremity of this noble lake.

Sir Thomas M. Wilson brought back with him five or six
skins of the Great Trout of the lake, which were caught by
spinning with a bleak, and must, from their large size, have
afforded some excellent diversion. The largest of these
specimens measured forty-two inches in length, and weighed
about thirty-four pounds : the next largest weighed thirty-
two pounds : the third twenty-seven pounds, besides others of
smaller size. These large Trout, and larger than these are
seldom seen, are observed to be males ; the females, accord-
ing to Mr. Lloyd, who has lived for some years on the
borders of the lake, rarely exceed twenty or twenty-two pounds.
The number of fin rays in these specimens averaged
D. 13: P. 14: V. 9 : A. 11 : C. 19.

Among other fish taken by Sir Thomas Wilson, was a large
specimen of the Ide, Leuciscus idus of authors. This fish,
which resembles our English Chub, was caught in the Gotha
Elf, a short distance above the falls of Trollhattan, whilst
trolling for pike on a windy day : its weight Avas between four
and five pounds. The skins of these various specimens were
effectually preserved and mounted after they were brought to
England.

Sir Thomas M. Wilson did me the favour to show me his
numerous sketches of scenery, taken during this trip, which
include views of the Gota river, the cities and country on its

GREAT LAKE TROUT.

15

banks, the celebrated falls of Trollhattan and parts of Lake
Wenern at different points of view ; very kindly allowing me
the use of a coloured drawing from which the vignette below,
on a reduced scale, was taken. This view represents Mr.
Lloyd's cottage on the eastern bank of the Gota ; the yacht of
Sir Thomas Wilson lying at anchor immediately opposite ;
with the remarkable and finely wooded hills of Hunnebcrgand
Halleberg, so much celebrated for the peculiarity of their
geological structure, bounding the distance.

16

SALMONID K.

ABDOMINAL
MALACOPTERYGIL SALMONIDJE.

THE HEBRIDAL SMELT.

Osmerus Hebridiciis, Hebridal Smelt, Yarrell, Supplement to Brit. Fishes.

I AM indebted to Mr. William Euing of Glasgow for the
opportunity of making known a new species of Smelt which
that gentleman did me the kindness to send to me in the
month of November "1837. This fish is at once clearly dis-
tinguishable from our long-known and highly-esteemed fa-
vourite, the common Smelt, and is the more interesting from
the circumstance of its being — at least, as far as I am aware —
entirely new to Ichthyology. Mr. Euing passed part of the
summer of 1837 near Rothsay in the Isle of Bute ; and the
Smelt in question was brought to him by a fisherman, who
stated that he caught it on a hand line in the bay of Roth-
say, about two hundred yards from the shore, in twelve
fathom water ; that it was, though well known, but rarely
seen. This specimen measured six inches and a half; but
another example of the same sort, measuring eight inches in
length, that was taken near the same place in June 1836, was
full of roe, and when first caught the cucumber-like smell, so
peculiar to the Smelt, was in this species also very apparent.

HEBRIDAL SMELT.

17

Unable to find any notice of a second species of Smelt in
Europe in any Iclitliyological work with which I am acquaint-
ed, I have little doubt that this fish has not been previously
described ; and in reference to the locality in which alone it
has been as yet taken, I have ventured to name it the Smelt
of the Hebrides, Osmerus Hehridicus.

The specimen sent me by Mr. Euing, measuring six inches
and a half in length, is one inch and one eighth deep at the
commencement of the dorsal fin, at which part the body is
deepest ; the thickness of the body compared to the depth is
as one to two, or exactly half: the length of the head is one
inch and three eighths, and is, in reference to the whole length
of the head and body, without the tail, as one to four. The
jaws are nearly equal in length, without teeth upon either ;
but there are four long teeth upon the tongue ; the eye is
very large, the diameter almost equal to one third of the
whole length of the head, and placed at a distance of little
more than its own diameter from the point of the nose : the
upper surface of the head is flattened, descending by a rapid
slope to the nose ; the line of the lower jaw straight ; the pos-
terior edge of the operculum rounded ; the back of the fish,
or its dorsal outline, slightly arched ; the abdominal line nearly
straight ; the sides compressed. The dorsal fin commences
half way between the point of the nose and the anterior edge
of the adipose or rayless dorsal fin, the longest ray nearly
twice the length of the base of the fin ; the last dorsal fin ray
but three, the same length as the base of the whole fin. The
adipose fin is placed very near the tail ; the tail itself deeply
forked. The pectoral fin reaches to the plane of the com-
mencement of the dorsal, and its length, if turned forwards,
would reach to the centre of the eye. The ventral fin is in a
vertical line under the last ray of the dorsal fin ; there is a
slender axillary scale ; but the ends of the ventral fin rays
being injured, the length of the fin cannot be mentioned.

18

SALMONIDiE.

The anal fin has its last ray underneath the posterior edge of
the adipose fin ; but the rays of the anal fin are also broken.
The formula of the fin rays is as follows : —

D. 11 : P. 14 : V. 12 : A. 12 : C. 19.

The scales are large and deciduous, the lateral line promi-
nent and nearly straight. Below the lateral line for the whole
length of the body two rows of the scales are silvery white,
forming a conspicuous elongated band, like that to be observed
in the Atherine,* the rest of the body and fins dull amber
colour, the gill covers silvery and iridescent.

The figure of our well-kno^vn common Smelt is inserted as
a vignette to exhibit the comparative characters of the two
species.

* British Fishes, vol. i. p. 214.

'^^t*=»

19

ABDOMINAL
MALACOPTERYGIl. SALMONID/E.

THE POWAN.

Coregonus La Cepedei, The Powan, Parnelt,, Annals of Nat,

Hist. vol. i. p. 161.
,, cltipeoides. The Herring-like Coregonus, Lacepede, Hist. Nat. du

Poiss. 8vo edit. torn. x.
p. 386.

Dr. Parnell, whose Iclithyological investigations in
Scotland have not been confined to the " Fishes of the
Forth," only, has described in the first volume of the Annals
of Natural History a species of Coregonus, to which he has
attached the name of Lacepedei, this species having been first
noticed, or perhaps distinguished, by this celebrated French
naturalist. This fish is found in Loch Lomond, one of the
largest and most picturesque lakes in the west of Scotland.
It is not unlikely that some of the species of Coregoni found
in the northern lakes of England, Scotland, and Ireland, may
exist in the lakes of Scandinavia, M. Nilsson, Professor of
Natural Histcfry at Lund, describing in his Prodromus Ich-
thyologiee Scandinavicee no less than eight species as belong-
ing to that country ; but from a certain general agreement in

20 SALMONID.E.

the characters of the Coregojii, it is difficult to refer our species
Avitli certainty in the absence of foreign specimens with which
to make actual comparison.

It appears, on reference to his Natural History of Fishes,
that Lacepede became aware of the existence of this Coregonus
in Loch Lomond by the communication of M. Noel, who
visited Scotland in August 1802, Although some little
differences appear in the descriptions of this fish, as given by
Lacepede and Dr. Parnell, there is little doubt that both
authors had the same species under consideration. This fish
bears, as observed by Dr. Parnell, considerable resemblance
in appearance and also in the number of its fin-rays to the
Salmo Wartmamii oi Bloch, part 3, tab. 105, a species of
Coregonus, named after a learned physician, who first de-
scribed it. It is found in some of the lakes of Switzerland,
and also in lake Constance ; but Lacepede, to whom the
Wartmanni was known, considered the Loch Lomond Core-
gonus distinct. It is thus described by Dr. Parnell, from a
specimen fourteen inches in length.

" Head long and narrow, of an oval form, about one-fifth
the length of the whole fish, caudal fin included ; depth of
the body between the dorsal and ventral fins less than the
length of the head. Colour of the back and sides dusky
blue, with the margin of each scale well defined by a number
of minute dark specks ; belly dirty white ; the lower portion
of the dorsal, pectoral, ventral, and anal fins dark bluish grey;
irides silvery, pupils blue. First ray of the dorsal fin com-
mencing half-way between the point of the snout and the
base of the short lateral caudal rays ; the first ray simple, the
rest branched ; the second and third the longest, equalling
the length of the pectorals ; the seventh ray as long as the
base of the fin ; the last ray one-third the length of the
fourth ; adipose fin large and thin, situate midway between
the base of the fourth dorsal fin-ray and the tip of the long

POVVAN. 21

upper ray of the caudal fin ; anal fin commencing half way
between the origin of the ventral fin and the base of the
middle caudal ray ; the first ray simple, the rest branched ;
the second rather the longest ; the third as long as the base
of the fin ; the last ray half the length of the fifth ; ventral
fins commencmg under the middle of the dorsal ; the third
ray the longest, equalling the length of the same ray of the
dorsal ; pectorals long and pointed, one-sixth the length of
the whole fish, caudal fin included ; the first ray simple ; the
second and third the longest, the last short, not one-fourth
the length of the first ; tail deeply forked, with the long rays
of the upper portion curving slightly downwards, giving the
fin a peculiar form. Gill cover produced behind ; the basal
line of union between the operculum and suboperculum
oblique ; the free margin of the latter slightly rounded ; pre-
operculum angular ; snout prominent, somewhat of a conical
form, extending beyond the upper lip ; jaws of unequal
length, the lower one the shortest. The maxillary bone
broad, the free extremity extending back to beneath the an-
terior margin of the orbit. Teeth in the upper jaw long and
slender, about six in number ; those on the tongue shorter
and more numerous. Eyes large, extending below the mid-
dle of the cheeks ; lateral line commencing at the upper part
of the operculum, and running down the middle of the sides
to the base of the middle caudal ray. Scales large and de-
ciduous, eighty-four forming the lateral line, eight between
the dorsal fin and lateral line, and the same number between
the lateral line and the base of the ventrals." The numbers
of the fin-rays, including the two short rays at the com-
mencement of the dorsal and anal fins, are

D. 14 : P. 16 : V. 12 : A. 13 : C. 20 : ceeca 120.

" This fish grows occasionally to the length of sixteen
inches. In the stomach of one of the specimens examined

22 SALMONID.E.

were found several species of Entomostraca, larva of insects, a
few Coleoptera, a number of small tougli red worms, little
more than half an inch in length, and about the thickness
of a coarse thread, besides a quantity of gravel, which the
fish had probably accumulated when in search of the larva."

" These fish are found in Loch Lomond in great numbers,
where they are called Powans or Freshwater Herrings.
They are caught from the month of March until September
Avith large drag-nets, and occasional instances have occurred
in which a few have been taken with a small artificial fly : a
minnow or bait they have never been known to touch. Early
in the morning and late in the evening large shoals of them
are observed approaching the shores in search of food, and
rippling the surface of the water with their fins as they pro-
ceed. In this respect they resemble in their habits the Ven-
dace of Lochmaben and the saltwater herring. They are
never seen under any circumstances in the middle of the day.
From the estimation these fish are held in by the neighbour-
ing inhabitants, they are seldom sent far before they meet
with a ready sale, and are entirely unknown in the markets
of Glasgow. In the months of August and September they
are in best condition for the table, when they are con-
sidered well flavoured, Avholesome and delicate food. They
shed their spawn in October to December, and remain out of
condition until March."

Although agreeing in the number of fin-rays w^ith the
Pollan of Ireland, this Loch Lomond fish is at once dis-
tinguislied from it by the peculiar form of its mouth, a repre-
sentation of which, in two points of view, inserted as a vig-
nette, and contrasted with the same parts in the Pollan, both
of the natural size, will, better than description, convey the
appearance in proof of distinction. The Loch Lomond fish
being remarkable for the depth of the upper lip, and the
large size of the lateral free portions of the superior-maxillary
bones.

2-3

Dr. Parnell has described a second species of Coregonus
found in Loch Lomond, which differs from the first in having
a smaller head, yet agreeing exactly in the number of all the
fin-rays ; but as I learn by communication with Dr. Parnell
that since the publication of his paper he has obtained many
specimens from Loch Lomond, the characters of which are
intermediate in reference to the two fishes described, and
appear to connect them, I have not figured it as a distinct
species.

24 SALMONID.I-:.

ABDOMINAL

MALACOPTEIiYGII. SALMONID^..

THE POLLAN.

Coregonus Pollan, The Pollan, Thompson, Proceedings Zool. Soc. for 1835,
p. 77 ; and Magazine of Zool. and Bot.
vol. i. p. 247.

A SHORT notice of the Pollan of Ireland, as made known
by Mr. Thompson of Belfast in 1835, was inserted in the
History of British Fishes, vol. ii. p. 88 ; and that gentleman
having most zealously followed up his zoological investiga-
tions in that country, I am now enabled to add from his re-
searches various further particulars.

" The earliest notice of the species that I have seen," says
Mr. Thompson, " is in Harris''s History of the County of
Down, published in the year 1744, where, as well as in the
statistical surveys of the counties of Armagh and Antrim, it
has subsequently been introduced as one of the fishes of
Lough Neagh, under the name of Pollan : but, as may be
expected in works of this nature, little more than its mere
existence is mentioned."

" The habits of this fish do not, with the exception of its
liaving been in some instances taken with the artificial fly,

25

differ in any marked respect from those of the Vendace of
Scotland or the Gwyniad of Wales, and are in accordance
with such species of continental Europe as are confined to
inland waters, and of whose history we have been, so fully in-
formed by Bloch. The Pollan approaches the shore in large
shoals, not only during spring and summer, but when the au-
tumn is far advanced. The usual time of fishing for it is in the
afternoon, the boats returning the same evening. On the days
of the 23rd, 24th and 25th of September 1884, which I spent
in visiting the fishing stations at Lough Neagh, it was along
with the common and great lake trout, Salmo fario and
Salmo ferox, caught plentifully in sweep-nets, cast at a very
short distance from the shore. About a fortnight before this
time, or in the first week in September, the greatest take
of the Pollan ever recollected occurred at the bar-mouth,
where the river Six-mile-water enters the lake. At either
three or four draughts of the net, one hundred and forty
hundreds, — one hundred and twenty-three fish to the hun-
dred,*— or 17,220 fish were taken ; at one draught more
were captured than the boat could with safety hold, and
they had consequently to be emptied on the neighbouring
pier. They altogether filled five one-horse carts, and
were sold on the spot at the rate of Ss. 4<d. a hundred,
producing 28/. 6s. 8d. From Ss. 4rf. to 4s. a hundred has
been the ordinary price at the lake side, or directly from
the fishermen; some years ago it was so low as 1*. 8d. the
hundred, but at that time the regular system of carriage to a
distance, as now adopted, did not exist. At the former rates
they are purchased by carriers, who convey them for sale to
the more populous parts of the neighbouring country, and to
the towns within a limited distance of the lake. They are
brought in quantities to Belfast ; and when the supply is
good, the cry of ' fresh pollan"' prevails even to a greater ex-
* The English long hundred is six score, or one hundred and twenty.

2G SALMONID.E.

tent than that of ' fresh herring,"* thougli both fishes are in
season at the same period of tlic year. In the month of
June 1834, fifty hundreds, — six thousand one hundred and
fifty individuals — of poUan and one hundred and twenty-five
pounds weight of trout were taken at one draught of a net,
at another part of the lake near Ram's Island, which was the
most succeesful capture made there for twenty-four years. In
183-i this fish was more abundant than ever before known.
Like the Gwyniad and Vendace, the Pollan dies very soon
after being taken from the water, and likewise keeps for a
very short time. It is not in general estimation for the
table, but is, I think, a very good and well-flavoured fish."

"Though permanently resident, the pollan is very far from
being generally diflfused throughout Lough Neagh. It rarely
occurs between the river Mayola and Toone ; while from the
Six-mile-water to Shane's Castle is so favorite a resort, that a
few houses that formerly stood near the latter locality, were
dignified with the name of Pollan 's Town.''

" In the months of November and December this fish de-
posits its spawn where the lake presents a hard or rocky bot-
tom. On the 4th of December 1835, a quantity of the
largest Pollans I have seen were brought to Belfast market.
Several were thirteen inches in length, and all on dissection
proved to be females just ready to deposit their roe. On
the 11th of the same month several male specimens of full
size that I procured, and which contained milt most promi-
nently developed, measured but eleven inches and a half, —
thus showing that in maturity the female fish exceeds the
male in length in the proportion of thirteen to eleven and a
half. Its average weight when in season is about six ounces.
One specimen, mentioned to me as the largest taken within
the last ten years, weighed two pounds and a half. The
only food that I have, without resorting to the microscope,
detected in the stomach of the Pollan was a full grown speci-

POLLAN. 27

men of the bivalve shell Pisidium pulchellum. A pebble of
equal size was also found with it."" In the stomach of a
specimen given me by Mr. Thompson I found a species of
Gammarus. Mr. Thompson, in some more recent examina-
tions, has found mature individuals of Gammarus aquaticus,
and the larvae of various aquatic insects ; some shells of the
genus Pisidium, one of the fry of the three-spined stickleback,
and a few fragments of stone. Others were found to contain
minute Entomostraca, two Pisidia, and a Limneus pereger,
this last was three lines in length.

Besides inhabiting Lough Neagh, the Pollan has also
been found in Lough Derg, an expansion of the Shan-
non ; and Lord Cole, who has most condescendingly in-
terested himself in the History of British Fishes, had the
kindness to send me a jar full of Pollan from Lough Erne in
the county of Fermanagh, from one of which specimens our
figure was taken. The Pollan of Lough Erne are rather
deeper for their length than those of Lough Neagh. His
lordship has also sent me two species of Charr from Ireland ;
some from Lough Eask being identical with the Charr of the
Cumberland Lakes, while those from Lough Melvyn are
short and deep fish with large fins exactly resembling the
Charr found in two or three lakes in Wales, the particulars
of both of which are described in the second volume of the
British Fishes.

To return to the Pollan of Ireland, Mr. Thompson's de-
scription is as follows : " The relative length of the head to
that of the body is about as one to three and a half; the
depth of the body equal to the length of the head ; the jaws
equal in length, both occasionally furnished with a few delicate
teeth ; the tongue with many teeth ; the lateral line sloping
downwards for a short way from the operculum, and thence
passing straight to the tail. Nine rows of scales from the
dorsal fin to the lateral line, and the same number thence to

28

■5ALMONID.E.

tlie ventral fin, tlic row of scales on tlie back and tliat of the
lateral line not included. The third ray of the pectoral fin
the longest. The fin-ray formula is as folhnvs —

B.

D. 14 : p. 16 : V. 12 : A. 13 : C. 59 : vertebrae 59.

Of these, the first two rays of the dorsal fin, and the first two
rays also of the anal fin are short.

" The colour to the lateral line dark blue, thence to the
belly silvery ; dorsal, anal, and caudal fins, towards the ex-
tremity, tinged with black ; pectoral and ventral fins of crys-
talline transparency, excepting at their extremities, which are
faintly dotted with black. Irides silvery, pupil black."

In a number of these Pollan from Lough Erne as well as
Lough Ncagh, the base of the last ray of the dorsal fin is
exactly half way between the point of the nose and the ex-
treme end of the longest upper caudal ray. Nine rows of
scales from the base of the first ray of the dorsal fin to the
lateral line, and the same nu'mber from the lateral line to the
origin of the ventral fin, with eighty-eight scales forming the
lateral line. The fin-rays in number on several specimens
exactly as stated by Mr. Thompson.

The vignette represents the bones of the cranium in the
trenus Cores^ojius.

FOUR-BEARDED ROCKLING.

S9

SUBBRACHIAL
MALACOFTERVGII.

GABIDM.

THE FOUR-BEARDED ROCKLING.

Motella cimbria, The Four-bearded Ruckling, Parnei.l, Wern. Mem. vol. vii

p. 449. pi. 44.
Gadus cimbrius, Linn^us, Syst. Nat. p. 440, sp. 16.

Retz, Faun. Suec. p. 323.
Enchelyopus cimbricus, Schneider, Syst. Ichth. p. 50, sp. 1, tab. 9.
Motella cimbrica, Nilsson, Prod. Ichth. Scand. p. 48, sp. 2.

This species of Motella, first described by Linnseus, is
included by Dr. Parnell in his description of the Fishes of
the Forth, a specimen, fourteen inches in length, having
been brought to him by a Newhaven fisherman, who had
caught it a little to the east of Inchkeith on a Haddock line
baited with muscles. It is a species perfectly distinct from
the Three or. the Five-bearded Rocklings, so much more
common on various parts of the coast, and may at once be
distinguished from either by the greater length of the fila-
ment, Avhich is placed in advance of the almost obsolete
first dorsal fin. This filament in a fish of nine inches
long, measures one inch and seven-eighths ; and in another
fish of ten inches and a half in length, measures two inches
and a quarter, as I find from portions of two specimens

30 OADID.E.

sent mc by Mr. Euing of Glasgow, to whom I am indebted
for tlic opportunity of making known the new species of
Smelt. These two specimens of the Four-bearded Rock-
ling were taken near Rothsay, and in reference to them
Mr. Euing's letters contain the following remarks: — "I
have never met with the Three or the Five-bearded Rock-
ling, but small specimens of that with four cirri are fre-
quently brought in on the long lines from deep water. It
is, indeed, by no means a very rare fish with us, and I have
seen it at almost every visit to the coast since 1827, the year
in which I first observed it."

This fish is rare in the Baltic, but is not uncommon on
the southern coast of Sweden ; it is found also among the
islands of the Catigat ; on the west coast of Norway, and in
the Atlantic.

Dr. Parnell says, on dissecting the specimen, I found
the stomach filled with shrimps and small crabs. The csecal
appendages were few in number; the roe was large; the ova
small and numerous, and apparently in a fit state to be de-
posited. It is probable that the habits of this fish are similar
to those of the other species, but from its rarity it is diffi-
cult to determine."

Description by Dr. Parnell, from a specimen fourteen
inches in length : " Form closely resembling that of the
Five-bearded Rockling, but the length of the head somewhat
greater compared to that of the body. The body elongated,
rounded in front, compressed behind, tapering from the vent
to the caudal extremity ; greatest depth less than the length
of the head. Head one-sixth of the entire length, caudal
fin included, slightly depressed ; snout blunt, projecting con-
siderably beyond the under jaw ; eye large, of an oval form,
placed high up, and about its own length from the point of
the nose ; operculum rounded, oblique ; gill-opening large ;

FOUR-BEARDED ROCKLING.

31

gape wide ; maxillary extending in a line with the posterior
margin of the orbit ; teeth sharp and fine, forming two rows
in the under jaw, and five rows in the upper ; a few are also
placed in a cluster on the anterior part of the vomer ; bar-
bules four, one a little in front of each nostril, one at the
extremity of the upper lip, and one on the chin ; tongue
fleshy, smooth, and without teeth. Fins : — the first dorsal
fin obsolete, scarcely discernible, commencing over the oper-
culum, and terminating a little in front of the second dorsal,
composed of a number of short, fine, capillary rays, of which
the first is by far the largest ; second dorsal taking its
origin in a line over the ends of the pectorals, and termi-
nating a little in advance of the caudal ; anal fin commencing
in a line under the twelfth ray of the second dorsal, and
ending under the last ray but three of the same fin, in form
similar to the second dorsal, but the rays scarcely more than
one half the length ; the first ray simple, the rest branched ;
caudal rounded at the extremity, the length of the middle
rays equalling the space between the first and the twelfth
rays of the anal, the lateral rays simple ; ventral fins jugular,
the second rays the longest, about two-thirds the length of
the pectorals ; the pectoral fins rounded at the extremities,
equalling the length of the caudal ; the first rays stout and
simple, the rest branched. The fin-rays in number are, —

1st D.50 : 2nd D. 50 : P. 16 : V. 5 : A. 43 : C 20. Vert. 52.

Scales small, smooth, and adherent, covering the head,
body, and membranes of the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins ;
lateral line formed by a number of oval depressions, placed
at intervals from each other, commencing over the oper-
culum, taking a bend under the ninth, tenth, and eleventh
rays of the second dorsal fin, from thence running straight to
the middle ray of the caudal. Colours : — Back and sides of

32

a gi-cyish brown ; belly dirty wliitc ; second dorsal lin lighter
in colour at the edge ; pectorals, caudal, and lower part of
the dorsal, dark brown, approaching to black ; anal and ven-
trals dusky."

The vignette represents the cranium of the Common Cod-
fish.

LONG FLOUNDER.

SUBBRACHIAL

MALACOPTERYGII. PLEURONECTID^.

THE LONG FLOUNDER.

Platessa elongata, The Long Flounder, Yarrell, Suppl. to Brit. Fishes.

I AM indebted to Mr. Baker, of Bridgewater, for several
interesting communications on Birds and Fishes, one of the
most valuable of which is the opportunity afforded me of
making known what appeared to that gentleman to be a spe-
cies of Flounder undescribed as a British Fish, and which,
after having made the usual search, I have reason to believe
is not only undescribed as a British Fish, but is altogether
new to Ichthyology. I have only as yet seen the single
specimen sent me for my use on this occasion by Mr, Baker,
from which a drawing has been made of the natural size, and
the reduced representation here given engraved on wood ;
but I understand from Mr. Baker*'s son that his father had
obtained a second example of the same fish. The specimen
now before me was obtained at Stoford, in Bridgewater Bay,
in the month of December. Little is of course known of
the habits of so recent and so rare an acquisition.

VOL. II. D

d-i PLEURONECTID.E.

The whole length of this spcchiien is seven inches and
three-quarters; the length of the head one inch and one
quarter, and compared to the whole length of the fish, as one
to six ; the greatest breadth of the body, dorsal and anal
fins included, is one inch and three-quarters, and compared
to the whole length of the fish, as one to four and a half;
the breadth, including the dorsal and anal fin, is to the whole
length as three to eight. The body very thin, and very
much elongated in form ; the lateral line passing straight
from the tail along the middle of the fish till it approaches
the operculum, then rises in a slight curve over the base of
the pectoral fin. The scales on the body are of medium
size, oval, with numerous radiating strije on the free portion.
The fins deep, and the tail long.

The outline of the whole head is rather circular, the mouth
oblique from below upwards, and below the line of the lon-
gitudinal axis of the body ; the jaws nearly equal in length,
each furnished with a single row of small and regular teeth ;
the eyes rather large, the upper eye, or that on the left side,
being a little in advance of the lower, or that on the right
side ; the inter-orbital bony ridge prominent ; the boundary
lines of the preoperculum and operculum forming two con-
centric portions of cii'cles. The pectoral fin, arising imme-
diately behind the edge of the operculum, is about half as
long as the head ; the ventral fin, in a line under the edge of the
operculum, is about half as long as the pectoral fin. The
dorsal fin, commencing with short rays in a line over the eye,
is at its greatest elevation about the middle of the fish, and
from thence diminishes gradually to the end, which is on the
fleshy portion of the tail, and short of the origin of the caudal
rays ; the anal fin begins close to the ventral fin, immediately
behind the post anal spine ; the first and last rays short,
those in the middle of the fin the longest, and the fin ends
on the same plane as the dorsal.

LONG FLOUNDER.

length equal to that of the head, and in form but slightly
rounded at the end ; the sides parallel.
The fin-rays in number are, —

D. no : P. 11 : V. 6 : A.

C. 24.

The colour of this specimen on the upper surface is a uni-
form pale brown, the membranes of the different fins being
rather lighter in colgur than the body of the fish ; the under
surface of the body very pale wood-brown ; the irides yellow.

This specimen has been preserved dry.

The vignette below represents the cranium of the Common
Flounder.

D 2

36 PLEURONECTID E.

SUBBRACHIAL

MALACOPTERYGII. PLEURONECTID £.

THE SOLENETTE,

OR LITTLE SOLE.

Monochirus linguatulus, Cuvier, Reo;. An. t. ii. p. 343.

Solea parva sive lingula, Rondeletius, p. 324.

La ■petite Sole, ,, French Edit. Lyons, p. 260.

Solea parva sive lingula Rondeletii, Willoughby, p. 102, F. 8, fig. 1.

Pleuronectes lingula, Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 457, sp. 10.

Moiwchirus minutus, Parnei.l, Mag. Zool. and Bot. vol. i. p. 527.

At tlie time of writing tlie description of the Variegated
Sole (British Fishes, vol. ii. page 262), I had not seen a
specimen of the true Solea parva sive lingula of Rondeletius,
and now find that I have included two distinct species in the
synonymes employed to designate the Variegated Sole. The
Rev. L. Jenyns, in his Manual of British Vertebrate Ani-
mals, appears to have suspected that there was a fourth spe-
cies of Sole on our coast, since, at the conclusion of the de-
scription of his third species, he has observed, " further ob-
servation is necessary in order to decide whether, in this
instance, I have confounded two nearly allied species."

In the published proceedings of the Royal Society of
Edinburgh for January 1837, Dr. Parncll has figured and
briefly described, under the name of Monochirus minutus^ a

SOJUENETTE.

37

small species of Sole obtained by him at Brixham on the
Devonshire coast, which appears to be the true Solea parva
sive lingula of Rondeletius, This small fish is at once dis-
tinguished from the Variegated Sole of Donovan, and other
English authors, by the tapering of the body towards the
tail, and more particularly by the dorsal and caudal fins being
united to the base of the tail, which is not the case in the
Variegated Sole. This union of the two fins with the tail
is shown in the figure given by Rondeletius, and again by
Willoughby, as referred to.

Dr. Parnell has obtained several examples of this interest-
ing little species, which is not unfrequently taken in the
trawl-nets by the fishermen of Brixham, but on account of
its diminutive size it is seldom brought on shore. It has
evidently been confounded with the Variegated Sole ; but,
independently of other distinctions, the Variegated Sole has
the tail separated from the dorsal and caudal fins by a consi-
derable interval.

The Variegated Sole of Donovan and of Montagus MS.
the Red-backed Flounder of Pennant's Zoology, and the
Variegated Sole of Dr. Fleming, are so many specimens of
the truly Variegated Sole, and are each of them quite dis-
tinct from the true lingula. Duhamel appears to have dis-
tinguished and figured both species. Mr. Thompson has
obtained both species on the coast of the North of Ireland,
and by his kindness I have now his specimens before me
for comparative examination. Dr. Parnell has given me two
examples of his Monochirus nmiutus, which, as before ob-
served, I believe to be the true Solea parva sive lingula of
Rondeletius ; and I have also two specimens of the true
Variegated Sole ; one of these, from which the figure in the
British Fishes was drawn, has the dark clouded variation in
colour extending, as in Donovan's figure, over the back as
well as the fins : in a specimen belonging to Mr. Thompson,

38 PLEURONECTID.E.

in one of my own, and in Montagu's specimen, as described
in his MS. the dark variations in colour arc confined to
patches on the fins, as in Pennant"'s figure ; but without refer-
ence to colour, this species is immediately known by the
space which occurs between the two elongated fins and the
tail, which Montagu says was equal to half an inch in his
specimen, which measured nine inches.

Both these species belong to the genus Monochirus of
Cuvier, distinguished from those of the genus Solea by the
very small size of the upper pectoral fin, and the very rudi-
mentary state of the pectoral fin on the under side, and is,
indeed, sometimes entirely w\anting. Of our two British
species of Monochirus^ the M. linguatulus of Cuvier has the
smaller upper pectoral fin of the two, as observed by Mr.
Thompson, who has, in a recent number of the Annals of
Natural History, published some interesting details on the
two British species of the genus Monochir^is.

From, the numbers of these fishes which are taken in the
trawl-nets off Brixham throughout the whole year, says Dr.
Parnell, and from their never appearing to attain a large size,
there can be little doubt but that they are arrived at their
full growth. The fishermen, who appear perfectly familiar
with their appearance, call them Red Soles ; and scarcely a
trawl-boat leaves Brixham Harbour that does not capture a
dozen or more of these fish daily ; but, from their diminutive
size, they are either thrown overboard, or left to decay at the
bottom of the vessels.

Description : — " Length five inches ; the width at the
upper third nearly two inches : the colour of the back light
reddish brown, the under surface pale white ; every sixth or
seventh ray of the dorsal and anal fin black. In shape this
fish is similar to the Common Sole, but is of a more wedge-
shaped form, becoming narrow at the caudal extremity.
The head is small, one-sixth of the whole length ; the mouth

SOLENETTE.

39

is crooked ; each jaw is furnished with a number of minute
teeth, placed close together, and extending but half way round
the mouth ; the eyes are small ; the upper, or left eye, a little
in advance. The dorsal fin commences immediately over the
upper lip, and runs down the back, to be connected with the
caudal rays ; the anal fin begins under the posterior margin of
the operculum, and continues to the tail. The number of
the fin-rays are, —

D. 73 : P. 4 : V. 4 : A. 54 : C 14.

The scales are small, with from twelve to fifteen denticles at
their free extremity, rendering the whole surface of the fish
rough to the touch when the finger is passed along from the
tail to the head. The pectoral fin, on the eye-side, is small,
with the lower half black, while the fin on the opposite side
is very minute, and of a pale white ; the lateral line is
straight throughout ; the tail is rounded at the end, and
mottled with brown."

The vignette represents the fishing-house at Virginia
Water.

40

MUR^NID.E.

APODAL
MALACOPTERYGII.

UUR^NIDJE.

DRUMMOND'S ECHIODON.

Echiodon Drummoy}dii, Thompson, Proceedings Zool. Soc. 1837, page 55.

,, ,, „ Transactions „ ,, vol. ii. part iii. p.

207, plate 38.

Generic Characters. — Head oval ; jaws furnished with large cylindrical teeth
in front, other smaller teeth on the palatal bones and on the vomer. Gill
apertures large ; branchiostegous membrane with seven rays. Body smooth,
without scales, elongated, compressed. Dorsal and anal fins nearly as long as
the body ; all the rays soft ; no ventral fins ; anal aperture near the head.

A DEAD specimen of the fisli figured above was found
by Dr. J. L. Drummond on the beach at Carnlough, near
Glenarm in the county of Antrim, in the month of June
1836, and from its appearance when found it was conjectured
that it had been cast ashore by tlie tide of the preceding
night, when a strong easterly Avind prevailed. The specimen
was given by Dr. Drummond to his friend Mr. W. Thomp-
son of Belfast, and being new in form, was made by the latter
gentleman the subject of a communication to the Zoological
Society, Avhich appeared in the Proceedings and Transactions
of that Society as here quoted.

drummond"'s echiodon. 41

This specimen, Mr. Thompson observes, "being, so far
as known to me, unique, I have been unwilling to injure its
appearance by dissection. In external characters it is ex-
cluded from the ophidia proper in consequence of not having
the barbules ; and though agreeing with the Fierasfers in the
negative character of wanting these appendages, yet, by having
the dorsal fin strongly developed and elevated, it ranges not
with them."

" Its want of the very obvious character of the Ophidia,
renders all comparison with them unnecessary ; but of two
species belonging to the Fierasfers, and which approach the
present specimen most nearly, I may state that it possesses
many of the characters of the Ophidium Jierasfer of Risso,
but differs from that species in the teeth, (both jaws are de-
scribed as armed with three rows of sharp and hooked teeth,)
number of fin-rays, and some minor characters ; besides, there
is nothing said of the remarkable teeth terminating both jaws,
as exhibited in my specimen. In the Regne Animal we again
find an Ophidium dentatum described as having in each jaw
" deux dents en crochets,''^ but no further details are given.
In this only character, however, the Ophidium dentatum dif-
fers from my fish, which has four large hooked teeth in the
upper and two in the under jaw."

" Although when this fish first came into my possession,
I saw that it might be classed under the Malacopteri/gii
Apodes, and be placed near Ophidium, I considered that in
a natural arrangement it would best constitute a new genus
of the family Tftnioidea (Riband-shaped). In being apodal
it was not excluded from this family, as two genera belonging
to it are destitute of ventral fins. I did not hesitate to place
it under the Acanthopterygii, as some genera which are in-
cluded in this order are, like it, strictly Malacopterygian,
their natural connexion with genera having fins with spinous
rays being considered — and in my opinion most philoso-

42 MUR-«NID.E.

pliically — to outweigh this character ; and further, I felt less
reluctance in thus placing it, in consequence of Cepola rubes-
ceiis, -which it assimilates in some respects, having but one
spinous ray, and that in the ventral fin. At the suggestion
of John Edward Gray, Esq. F.R.S. I have, however, recon-
sidered the subject, and have come to the conclusion here
advanced."

As a difference of opinion may still exist with regard to
the position of this genus, I think it due to Mr. Thompson
to subjoin the observations originally made.

" Like certain other genera Avhich are comprehended under
Acanthopterygii^ the first order of the osseous fishes, its fins
are altogether destitute of spinous rays ; but, like those
alluded to, such as Zoarcus, &c. its other characters seem to
point out the Tcenioides as the family to which it belongs.
Of the eight genera of Tanioides already known, viz. Lepi-
dopus, Trichurus, Gymnetrus, Stylephorus, Cepola, Lopho-
tes, Trachi/ptenis, and Alepisaurus, the specimen under
consideration agrees with Trichiurus and Stx/lephorus in
being apodal, or wanting ventral fins, but in this character
only is there any generic accordance. Though considerably
more elongated, from the head posteriorly it approaches most
nearly to Cepola ruhescens in the form of the body, and in
the forward commencement of the anal fin, which, with the
dorsal, is prolonged until it joins the caudal ; but it is only
in the continuity of these fins until this junction is eflTected
that the resemblance holds, as in my specimen, the dorsal
rays, the five foremost of which are very short, increase in
length posteriorly, and near the caudal fin are about three
times as long as the depth of the body beneath them ; in
the anal fin, which is throughout much deeper than the dor-
sal, the rays likewise increase posteriorly ; and near the caudal
are in length four times greater than the depth of the body
at the same place. The length of the posterior rays of these

DKUMMOND S ECHIODON.

fins causes the dorsal, anal, and caudal, to appear as one; whilst,
though they do join in Cepola rubescens, the last ray of the
dorsal and anal being much shorter than the outer rays of the
caudal, may at the same time be said to mark distinctly the
termination of each fin. In my specimen the anal fin origi-
nates two lines in advance of the dorsal fin."

In the form of the head, and in dentition, it differs so re-
markably from all the other genera as to render a comparison
with them unnecessary. Its absolute characters must suffice
for distinction.

Description. — " Total length eleven inches ; greatest depth
at one inch four lines from the snout, six lines, thence pos-
teriorly gradually narrowing; greatest breadth of body an-
teriorly three lines ; at the middle of the entire length one
line, and thence to the tail becoming gradually more com-
pressed. Head one inch two lines long, or rather more than
one-ninth of the entire length ; profile sloping forward equally
on both sides to the snout, which is truncated, and projects
one line beyond the lower jaw ; narrow, increasing in breadth
very gradually from the snout, its breadth compared to its
length as one to three and a half; height half its length, com-
pressed at the sides, and rather flat above from the eyes back-
ward ; from the eyes forward a central bony ridge ; snout
viewed from above somewhat bifid, in consequence of the for-
ward position of the large teeth on each side. A few large
punctures extend from the snout below the eye, and are con-
tinued just behind it ; a series of small ones closely arranged
. extend from the upper portion of the eye in a curved form
posteriorly to near the edge of the preopercle, and thence a
double row extends downwards. Nostrils very large, placed
just in advance of, and before the centre of, the eye, and in
form a somewhat oval transverse aperture. Eye large, occu-
pying the entire half of the depth of the head ; its width
greater than its height ; in the length of the head occupying

44 WURENID.E.

the place of one in four and a half; its distance from the
snout three lines, or equal to its diameter, consequently two
and a half of its diameters are contained between it and the
edge of the operculum. Operculum rounded at the base,
terminating in a minute point directed backwards, strongly
radiated, strise distant ; preoperculum ascending vertically ;
checks smooth and soft. Mouth rather obliquely cleft.
Teeth, two large strong ones, placed close together, and
curving inwards at each side the extremity of the upper jaw,
the two* inner one-sixteenth of an inch apart. In the lower
jaw one slender rounded tooth, nearly one line long on each
side, curving outwards at the base, and inwards at the point.
Entire upper and under jaAv and vomer densely studded with
small bluntish teeth, somewhat unifonn in size ; vomer ex-
tending far forward, and very much developed, forming a
cavity in the lower jaw, and in advance of the tongue when
the mouth is closed ; a series of rows of teeth similar to those
last described on the palatal bones : all the teeth of the upper
jaw exposed to view when the mouth is closed. Tongue
short, not reaching within two lines and a half of the ex-
tremity of the lower jaw, and apparently toothless. On the
dorsal ritlge, one inch from the snout, or two lines and a half
behind the cranium, is a short, stout, bony spine, not very
conspicuous, and, excepting at its extreme point, covered
with skin : it is six lines in advance of the first ray of the dor-
sal fin. Scales none, but it may have been divested of them
during its short exposure on the beach. Lateral line incon-
spicuous, being a slight depression extending in a straight
line along the middle of the sides posteriorly, or throughout
the greater portion of its length, but anteriorly nearer to the
dorsal than the ventral profile. Vent one inch three lines
from the extremity of the lower jaw. Branchiostegous mem-
brane opens forward rather before the extremity of the gape.
Dorsal fin commencing one inch six lines from the snout, low

drummond's echiodon. 45

at its origin, but gradually increasing in height to near the
caudal fin, Avhich it joins, the two or three anterior rays, which
are very short, flexible and simple, the remainder articulated.
Anal fin originates just behind the vent, or at one inch three
lines from the point of the lower jaw, joins the caudal fin,
near to which it increases in depth posteriorly from its origin,
deeper than the dorsal fin throughout ; at about one inch
and a half from the caudal fin the rays are in length four
times greater than the depth of the body at the same place,
the rays of the dorsal fin opposite being three times the depth
of the body ; the first and second anterior rays flexible and
simple, the remainder articulated. Pectoral fins originate
one line behind the head, and are equal to half its length,
central rays longest, all very flexible, placed below the middle
of the sides. Caudal fin, central rays longest. Articula-
tions very long on the rays of all the fins ; no branched rays
in any one of them.

B. 7 : D. 180 : P. 16 : A. 180 : C. 12.
The number of the fin-rays were reckoned with the greatest
care ; but without injury to the specimen they could not be
ascertained with certainty to a single ray. The vertebrse,
which distinctly seen through the skin can be reckoned with
accuracy, ninety-eight. Colours, anterior half a dull flesh
colour, similar to specimens of Cepola rubescens preserved in
spirits, hence it is presumed to have been originally red ;
behind this portion reddish-brown markings appear on the
body at the base of the dorsal and anal fins, and suddenly
increase in number, until from an inch behind the middle,
the whole sides are closely marked and spotted over; the
entire top and the sides of the head before the hinder line of
the eye are similarly spotted ; just behind the cranium a few
spots also appear ; the posterior rays of the dorsal and anal,
and the entire caudal fin, blackish. Irides, operculum, and
under surface, a short way beyond the vent, bright silver."

46 MUR.ENIDE.

" The two large teeth, resembling serpent's fangs, which
terminate the upper jaw on each side, have suggested the
generic appellation of Echiodon ; and the specific name of
Drummondii is proposed in honour of its discoverer."

The figures below represent a side view of the head, the
mouth open to show the form and situation of the teeth, en-
larged ; and a front view of the anterior terminal teeth, also
enlarged. The illustrations here used are derived from Mr.
Thompson's paper in the Transactions of the Zoological
Society already quoted ; and I with pleasure avail myself of
the opportunity in this instance afforded me of recording my
obligations to Mr. Thompson for his kind and zealous co-
operation in zoology, and particularly for the loan of this rare
specimen, and many other Irish fishes, for examination.

THE STRAIGHT-NOSED PIPE-FISH. 47

LOPHOBRANCHII. SYNGNATHIDyE.

THE STRAIGHT-NOSED PIPE-FISH.

Syngnathus ophidion, Linnaeus Syst. Nat. t. i. p. 417, sp. 5.
„ ,, ,, Faun. Suec. p. 131, sp. 1.

It is only within a few years, I believe, that writers on
the Natural History of European Fishes have become aware
that in quoting, as was almost invariably the case, the figure
of the Syngnathus ophidion of Bloch, tab. 91, fig. 3, as the
true ophidion, they were not referring to, because that figure
does not represent, the true Syngnathus ophidion of Artedi
and Linnaeus. The fish, as represented by Bloch, does not
exhibit any appearance of a caudal fin, but if the species
there figured from be examined, it will be found to possess a
rudimentary caudal fin,* and could not therefore be con-
sidered as referred to by Linnaeus in the short but expressive
description, S. pinnis caudce ani pectoralibusque nullis, cor-
pore tereti.

The first good figure of the true S. ophidion of Linnaeus
* British Fishes, vol. ii. p. 339, vignette.

48 SYNGNATHID.E.

that became known to me appeared in an octavo volume by
M. C. U. Ekstrom, on the Fishes of Morko, in Sudermann-
land, a province in Sweden, published at Berlin in 1835, a
copy of which came into my possession in the autumn of
1836. In 1838, a figure of the head of this fish appeared
with others in M. Wiegmann"'s Archives of Natural History
in illustration of a paper on the Swedish species of the genus
Syngnathiis by M. B. Fr. Fries of Stockholm ; and this
fish having been obtained on the British coast by others as
well as by myself I now insert a figure of it, of the natural
size, in the present supplement.

The British Si/ngnathi, as suggested by the Rev. L.
Jenyns, consist of six species ; two marsupial pipe-fish S. acus
and S. Ti/phle, having true caudal fins : four ophidial pipe-
fish, which may be again divided into two sections, the first
of which contains two species, S. aquoreus and ^S*. anguineus,*
having each a rudimentary caudal fin ; -f- the second section,
also containing two species, S. ophidian and S. lumhrici-
formis, in which there is no rudimentary caudal fin, the
round tail ending in a fine point.

To this last division belongs the true S. ophidion of Artedi
and Linnaeus, the males of which in the season of reproduc-
tion carry the eggs, after deposition by the female, in three
or four rows of hemispheric depressions on the under surface
of their bodies. This species, which lives among the sea-
weed on our coast, is more rare than some others. It was
found in Cornwall long ago by our countryman and naturalist
John Ray, has been recently described by Mr. Jenyns in his
" Manual of British Vertebrate Animals," from specimens
obtained at Weymouth, and I also possess several specimens
obtained on the Dorsetshire coast.

* A specific name proposed by Mr. Jenyns for that species which we had
previously called, in error, S. ophidion.

t See British Fishes, vol. ii. pp. 337 and 339, vignettes.

STRAIGHT-NOSED PIPE-FISH. 49

This little pipe-fisli is long, slender, and nearly cylindrical,
but slightly compressed from the head to the anal aperture ;
from thence to the end of the tail round and tapering very
gradually to a fine point ; the head is short, the length of it
only half an inch in a specimen of nine inches ; the length of
the head therefore, as compared to the whole length of the
fish, is as one to eighteen ; the nose is straight, rather com-
pressed, a section forming a hexagon slightly elongated, of
which the upper and under angles are the most produced ;
the distance from the point of the nose to the eye, and from
thence to the hinder edge of the operculum., equal ; no pec-
toral, anal, or caudal fin ; the anal aperture is near the mid-
dle of the whole length of the fish, with a delicately-formed
dorsal fin in a line over it, nearly one inch in length at its
base, with about one-third of the fin, which contains from
thirty-five to forty very slender rays, in advance of the ver-
tical line of the anal aperture. Between the head and the
anal orifice there are on the body of the fish about thirty
sculptured plates or segments, and nearly sixty on the tail,
diminishing gradually in size as they approach the tip.

Colour. — Some specimens are uniform olive green, others
are tinged with yellowish brown, and both are occasionally
varied with darker shades of colour on the body.

The largest specimens seldom exceed nine inches in length.
The figure at the head of this subject is the exact size of the
specimen from which it was drawn.

50

STURIONID.E.

CHONDROPTERYGIl.

SrURlONlDyE.

THE BROAD-NOSED STURGEON.

Acipemer latirostris, Broad-nosed Sturgeon, Parnell, Trans. R. S. E. vol. xiv.

pi. 4.
„ ,, ,, ,, ,, Fish, of the Forth, Wern.

Mem. vol. vii. p. 405, pi. 39.

In the papers here referred to, Dr. Parnell observes, that
but one species of Sturgeon has hitherto been recorded by
the different writers on British Ichthyology, but from the
observations of practical fishermen, as well as his own, Dr.
Parnell adds, I think there is little doubt that two species,
at least, will in future be recognised as inhabiting the British
coast.

" It has long been noticed by the fishermen of the Solway
Frith, that two species of Sturgeon are occasionally entangled
in their Salmon-nets, the one with a blunt nose, and the
other with a sharp one ; the latter species being the most
common of the two.

" A fine specimen of the Blunt-nosed Sturgeon was taken
in the Fi-ith of Forth in the month of July 1835, and

BROAD-NOSED STURGEON.

51

brought to the Edinburgh market for sale, the head of which
I preserved. A few weeks after, another was taken in the
Tay, which diiFered in no respect from the former, except in
sexual distinction."

" Length seven feet nine inches ; weight eight stone, or
one hundred and twelve pounds. The colour of the back
and sides is of a light grey, with a shade of olive ; the belly
dirty white. The body is armed with five rows of osseous
shields, running from the head to the tail. The first row
commences behind the head, and runs down the central
ridge of the back ; the two next rows arise one on each side
of the former. Immediately on the lower margin of the pec-
torals the other two rows commence. The skin is rough,
with a number of small angular osseous plates intermixed
with very minute spicula. The first free shield on the dor-
sal ridge is nearly circular, and very slightly carinated ; all
the rest in that row are of an oval form. The snout is wide
and depressed, much broader than the diameter of the mouth.
On the under surface, placed nearer to the tip of the snout

52 STURIONID.E.

^^sy

than to the mouth, are four cirri arranged in an irregular line.
The summit of the head is rough, with the central plates
beautifully radiated, and of a fibrous appearance. The posi-
tion of the fins is the same as in other Sturgeons."

" This fish differs from the Common Sturgeon, Acipenser
sturto, in having the tip of the snout much broader than the
mouth, in the keel of the dorsal plates being but slightly
elevated, and having the cirri placed nearer to the tip of the
snout than to the mouth.*'''

" The Sturgeons are all much allied to each other ; and
not being able as yet to find the right synonym for the pre-
sent one, I have proposed, in the mean time, the name
latirostris, as characteristic of the species."

" In the stomach of the one from the Tay was found an
entire specimen of the Sea-mouse, Aphrodita aculeata.''''

Dr. Parnell has presented the preserved head of this spe-
cimen to the Museum of the Zoological Society ; but, like
Dr. Parnell, I have been unable to identify it with any de-
scribed Sturgeon. It docs not agree with either of the nine

BROAD-NOSED STURGEON.

53

species found in the various waters of the Russian empire,
figured and briefly described by M. A. Lovetski, in the
third volume of the Transactions of the Imperial Society of
Naturalists at Moscow ; nor am I able to say that it agrees
with either of the eleven species figured and described by
Messrs. Brandt and Ratzburg in their Medical Zoology.

Baron Cuvier has observed in his Regne Animal, t. ii. p.
379, note, that the species of this genus are not yet well de-
termined by naturalists, nor their comparative characters suffi-
ciently defined. Supposing that the bony plates of the head
by their form, size, and relative situation might afford specific
characters, I have given two views of these parts in our two
British Sturgeons, not without some suspicion, like Dr.
Pamell, that we may have even more than two.

54

SQUALID.E.

CHONDROPTERYGJI.

SQUALID^.

THE SPINOUS SHARK.

Echinorhinus spinosus, Blainville, Faun. FraD9. Poiss. p. 66, sp. 6.
,, ,, MusiGNANO, Faun. Ital. pt. xiii.

,, obesus, Dr. A. Smith, Zool. South. Afr. No. 1.

Squalls spi7wsus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I. p. 1500, sp. 27.

„ „ Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. 4to. t. i. p. 30, tab. 3, fig.

2, 8vo. t. 5, p. 354, pi. 22.
,, ,, Schneider, p. 136, sp. 31.

„ „ Risso, Ichth. p. 42, sp. 18.

Scymnus „ ,, Hist. t. iii. p. 136, sp. 21.

CuviER, Regne An. t. ii. 1829, p. 393.
Gonoidus „ Agassiz, Recherches sur les Poiss. Foss.

Generic Characters. Echinorhinus, Blainville. Gonoidus, Agassiz. — The
first dorsal fin opposite to the abdominal ones. Teeth in both jaws, broad and
low, the edge nearly horizontal ; the lateral edges have one or two transverse
denticles. (1 species.)*

Soon after the publication of that part of the British
Fishes which contained the Sharks, I received a communica-
tion from Mr. John Hey, then Honorary Curator to the
Leeds Philosophical Society, with a coloured drawing of the
well known Spinous Shark of authors, a specimen of which

* Miillerand Henle. Generic characters of Cartilaginous Fisiies. Mag.
Nat. Hist, for 1838, p. 89.

SPINOUS SHARK. 55

had been taken in Filey Bay, on the Yorkshire coast, in the
summer of 1830, and therefore entitled to a place among
British Fishes ; but the whole of the then remaining portion
of the work being at that time printed for publication on
the 1st of August, 1836, I was unable to avail myself of this
interesting information, which came to my hands on the 7th
of July.

On the 30th of the same month I was favoured with a
letter from Dr. H. S. Boase, of Penzance, containing an
account of the capture of a Spinous Shark on the 23rd of
that month, near the Land's End ; and Dr. Boase also very
kindly sent me in his letter pen-and-ink sketches of two
views of this Shark, made to a scale of one inch to a foot,
with representations and specimens of the teeth and spines.

In November 1837, the Rev. Robert Holdsworth sent me
notice by letter of the capture of a Spinous Shark, taken in a
trawl-net off Brixliam, with pen-and-ink sketches of the form
of the body, with a small portion of its spine-studded skin,
and some of its teeth.

At the meeting of the British Association at Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, in August 1838, Arthur Strickland, Esq. of
Bridlington, exhibited in tlie section devoted to Natural
History a drawing, and read a short description, of a Spinous
Shark, which had been recently found on the Yorkshire
coast, and was evidently of this species, Mr. Gray referring
to the figure of it lately published by Dr. Andrew Smith in
the first number of his " Illustrations of the Zoology of
South Africa," which the drawing exhibited by Mr. Strick-
land very closely resembled.

Lastly, I may add that on the 9th of November 1838, the
Rev. Robert Holdsworth sent me word that another speci-
men of the Spinous Shark had been caught on a fisherman''s
line off Berry Head on the previous Tuesday. I soon af-
terwards received a notice of this last capture from my

56 SQUALID.E.

friend Mr. Couch, of Polperro, and also from Mr. Heggerty,
of Torquay, to which place, as I understood, this last speci-
men had been brought for preservation.

Four examples of this Shark arc therefore known to have
been obtained on our coasts within the last three years, and
one in the summer of 1880.

This very remarkable Shark was first described by Brous-
sonnet under the name of Le chien de iner boucle, in the
" Memoires de TAcademie des Sciences pour 1780," and,
as may be seen by the numerous synonymes at the head of
this subject, is a species that is exceedingly well known,
having a wide geographical range, extending from the North
Sea to the Cape of Good Hope in one direction, and from
the Shores of Italy into the Atlantic in another.

The specimen described by Broussonnet measured only
about four feet in length ; but it has been taken upwards of
seven feet long on the Cornish coast; and M. Risso mentions
that one of four hundred pounds'* weight, and therefore pro-
bably still longer than the Cornish specimen, was caught by
the Mandrague, or Tonnaro fishermen of Nice, in the hori-
zontal nets set up by them to catch Tunnies.

Some differences will be observed in the comparative
length and thickness of the figures here given, the first of

SPINOUS SHARK. 57

which is taken from the drawing sent me by Mr. John Hey
of the Filey Bay specimen ; the second representing, on the
other side, a more bulky fish, is taken from Dr. A. Smith's
illustrations. The figures given by Lacepede and the Prince
of Musignano are rather long and slender, and were probably
taken from specimens of small comparative size ; the figure

onof,

O'

sent me by Dr. Boase from a fish more than seven feet 1
and the drawing exhibited by Mr. Strickland at Newcastle,
more resembled the figure by Dr. Smith. Some specimens are
described as being intermediate, and all these differences in
the same species may be referred to age or sex, or both, a
young male and an old female presenting the greatest con-
trast. The decided similarity in the teeth, which are very
peculiar, and which only differ in size, with the particular
character of the skin and its spines, with their radiated bases,
leave no room to doubt that these various examples belong to
one and the same species.

We become a little acquainted with some of the habits of
this Shark by noticing the circumstances under which it has
been captured. Of the first Cornish specimen. Dr. Boase
says, this Shark was caught on the 23rd of July, 1836, west
of the Long Slips, Land's End. Just before the moon set
the fishermen had been very successful, but all at once lost
their sport, or as they expressed it, " the Congers suddenly
sheered off to a man." When hooked, it was not more
troublesome than a Conger ; but when brought to the water's
edge, it gave battle, and was secured with great difficulty.
The first specimen noticed by the Rev. Robert Holdsworth
as caught in a trawl-net off Brixham, had a portion of a
Gurnard in its stomach. Of the third specimen, caught on
the southern coast, near Berry Head, Mr. Holdsworth says,
this Shark was taken near the bottom on a hook baited with
cuttle. The men were fishing for Conger Eel, and other
large fish, when this Shark was hooked. They describe his

58 SQUALIDiE.

action in the water as most powerful, and were obliged to let
him rmi with the line four times to the bottom before they
could hamper him with a sliding noose let down over the
line to his tail. These lines and the trawl-net only do
their work at the bottom, and we may, therefore, conclude
that this species is a Ground Shark. As such Cuvier had
arranged it in his genus Sci/mnus, and Dr. Andrew Smith,
who from his extensive acquaintance with this division of the
cartilaginous fishes is an admitted authority, confirms this
opinion. Of this Spinous Shark, Dr. Smith says, " This
species is comparatively rare at the Cape of Good Hope. It
is described by the fishermen as sluggish and unwieldy in its
movements, and but seldom to be observed towards the sur-
face of the water. When they obtain specimens, it is gene-
rally at a time when they are fishing in deep water, and when
the bait with which the hooks are armed is near to the bot-
tom. In this respect it resembles the Scyllia, or Ground
Sharks ; and, if we were to regard only its internal organisa-
tion, we should be disposed to consider it as closely allied to
that genus."

Never having seen a specimen of this Shark, the following
description of its colour and form is derived from Dr. Smith's
work.

Colour : — The head and back, as far as the first dorsal fin,
dark leaden grey ; the rest of the back, the sides, and the
belly, pale coppery yellow, clouded with purple and brownish
tints ; and the belly besides is marked with blotches of light
vermilion red ; the fins toAvards their bases reddish brown,
tinged with dull grey, towards their extremities a lighter
shade of the same colour ; chin, sides of muzzle, and some-
times a spot behind the eye, dull white ; eyes coppery green.

Form, &c. — Body very thick in proportion to its length,
with only a slight diminution in size towards the tail ; the
back in front of the first dorsal fin nearly straight ; the head

SPINOUS SHARK.

59

flat above, and slightly sloping to the muzzle, which is
rounded ; nostrils transverse, and each partially divided by a
narrow membranous lobule, which projects backwards from its
anterior margin ; their position is nearly over the most pro-
jecting, or central portion of the upper jaw, considerably
nearer to the eyes than the tip of the snout, and about half
way between the latter, and the angle of the mouth. Eyes
rather nearer to a line raised from the angle of the mouth
than to the nostrils ; pupil circular and small ; postocular
spiracle scarcely visible. Gape wide and arched, having at
each corner a triangular fold of skin formed by the union of
the upper and lower lips. Teeth regularly placed upon each
jaw, only one row in use at a time, the rest reclined ; they
are large, compressed, and somewhat quadrangular, the cut-
ting edges nearly horizontal, and both of their sides are
generally bicuspidate, as will be seen by the figures here in-
serted, representing from both specimens the teeth of both
jaws as opposed to each other.

Branchial openings all in front of pectoral fins ; the first not
more than half the length of the fifth. Pectoral fins rather
small, the hinder edges nearly square ; the dorsal fins are
small, the first narrower at its base than at its extremity,
which is slightly rounded ; the second nearly throughout of
equal breadth, the hinder edge almost square ; the ventral
fins short, broader behind than at their bases, and their pos-
terior edges slightly undulated ; the caudal fin entire, some-

60

SQUALID-f:.

what triangular, and slightly fiilciform ; the upper portion
high above the line of the back, the lower scarcely below the
line of the body immediately in front of it. Lateral line
distinct, commencing above the branchial openings, and ex-
tending nearly without curve or undulation to the commence-
ment of the caudal fin, from thence it ascends the latter, and
extends along it, nearer to its anterior than posterior edge,
until it reaches its upper extremity ; at its origin this line is
nearer to the middle of the back than the base of the pectoral
fin ; to the touch it feels slightly rough, which arises from its
being beset Avith a number of minute prickles, which are
most distinctly seen in preserved specimens. The sui-flice of
the skin both on the body and fins is more or less sprinkled
with strong bony-looking spines, with large circular and flat-
tened bases, which are striated from the centre towards the
circumference. These spines vary in size as Avell as form,
some being hooked, others quite straight ; in some places
they are disposed in clusters, in others they are solitary, and
on the extremity of the muzzle are nearly wanting. The
appendages to the ventral fins in the male seldom extend
much beyond their posterior margins."

According to M. Risso, the females of this species have a
smaller number of these spines tlian the males.

HAMMER-HEADED SHARK.

61

CHONDROPTERYGII.

SQUALW/E.

THE HAMMER-HEADED SHARK.

Z:!/gc

illeus. Val.

Zygxna,

Marteau,
Zygoena,

,, Salviani

Squalus zygoena,

Squale marteau,

Zygoena malleus,

Belon, p. 61.
RONDELET, 1554, p. 389.
1558, p. 304.
Salvianus, tab. 40.
, WiLLOUGHBY, p. 55, B. 1.
Linn. Syst. Nat. t. i. p. 399, sp. 5.
DuHAMEL, sect. IX. pi. XXI. fig. 3.
Lacepede, t. i. p. 257, 4to. edit.
,, t. V. p. 443, 8vo. edit.
Risso, Icht. p. 34.

„ Hist. p. 125.
Val. Mem. du Mus. t. ix. p. 222.

Generic Characters Head depressed, more or less truncated in front, the

sides extended horizontally to a considerable length, with the eyes at the
external lateral extremity. Teeth of the same shape in the upper and lower
jaw, viz. the points directed towards the corner of the mouth, with a smooth
edge when young, but distinctly serrated in adult specimens. Branchial open-
ings five. Two dorsal fins, the first in a line close behind the pectorals ; the
second over the anal fin.

62

SQUALID.E.

In the sketch of the Natural History of Yarmouth and
its Vicinity, by C. J. and James Paget, which I liave fre-
quently had the pleasure to refer to in the History of the
British Birds, and also in the British Fishes, it is stated at
page 17 that a specimen of the Sqimlus zygoena^ or Ham-
mer-headed Shark, was taken there in October 1829, and
deposited in the Norwich Museum ; and by the kindness
and influence of J. H. Gurney, Esq. of Norwich, I have
had the loan of drawings that were made from this Shark sent
to London for my use in this work.

Among the numerous species included in the genus
Squalus of Linnaeus, — and I might say, indeed, in the
whole class of Fishes, — there is no form more extraordinary
than that of the Hammer-headed Sharks, four species of
which are noticed in the memoir by M. Valenciennes here
quoted, where they are considered as a sub-genus, under
the name of Zygcsna.

The Hammer-headed Shark taken on the coast of Norfolk,
being also a native of the Mediterranean Sea, has been long
known, and is figured in the works of Bclon, Rondelet, and
Salvianus, as already quoted. Its greatest singularity con-
sists in the extraordinary form of the head ; but its habits,
as far as they are known, afford no physiological illustration
of this very remarkable structure. In other respects it is
very like the Sharks in general. This species is said to be
ferocious, to frequent deep water, and measures from seven
to eight feet in length. Baron Cuvier states that it has
been known to attain the length of twelve feet. The female
produces ten or twelve young ones in spring, which acquire
considerable size by the end of autumn. In some countries
the flesh of several species of Sharks is eaten, but that of the
Hammer-headed Shark is said to be not only hard, but very
unpleasant both in smell and flavour.

HAMMER-HEADED SHARK. 63

The head of this Shark,— representations of the upper
and under surface of which, on a small scale, are given
below, — measured from one eye to the other, is very
large and wide; the eyes are furnished with eye-lids,
which arise from the internal part of the orbits, the irides
are golden yellow, the pupils black; the nostrils are
elongated, and open immediately underneath the depression,
or notch, in the anterior margin of the laterally expanded
portions of the head ; the mouth semicircular, and furnished
with three, four, or five rows of teeth, depending upon the
age of the specimen ; these teeth are large, sharp, somewhat
triangular and curved, with smooth cutting edges when the
Shark is young, but serrated afterwards ; the teeth in the
upper jaw having their points directed towards the angle of
the mouth ; those of the lower jaw have the same direction,
but they are narrower.

'^"^

f\f ^

F

The body is elongated, covered with a skin slightly gra-
nulated ; the colour greyish brown above, nearly white be-
neath : branchial openings five, all before the base of the

64 SQUALID.E.

pectoral fin ; the pectoral fins nearly triangular ; tlic first
dorsal fin large; tlie second small, and placed just in advance
of the commencement of the tail ; the inferior lobe of the
tail small, the superior portion as long as the head of the
fish is wide ; the anal fin is under the second dorsal.

This species is found in the Mediterranean, on the shores
of the various countries of Europe, in the Ocean, and on the
coast of Brazil.

To make this subject as complete as my means will allow,
and afford an opportunity of identifying any other s])ecies
of Zi/goena that might wander to our shores, I here add,
as a vignette, representations of the heads of the other
known species, of which No. 1 is Zygama tudes, Val. the
synonymes being, according to M. Valenciennes, Le Squah
pantouflier of Lacepede, t. i. p. 260, pi. VII. fig. 3. Du-
hamel, sect. IX. pt. ii. pi. XXI. fig. 4 to 7. Koma
Sora Russel, pi. XII. This species has been found in
the Mediterranean, on the coast of Coromandel, and at
Cayenne, S. America.

No. 2. Zygcena Tihuro^ Val. syn. Squalus Tiburo,
Linn. torn. i. p. 399, sp. 6. Tihiironis species minor,
Marcg. 181. Willoughby, tab. B. 9, fig. 3. Klein Misc.
Pise. III. p. 13, tab. II. figs. 3, 4. This species has only
as yet been met with on the coast of Brazd.

No. 3. Zyga'na Blochii, Cuv. Regne An. t. ii. Bloch,
pi. 117. The locality from which this species was obtained
is unknown, but specimens are still preserved.

No. 4. Zygoena laticeps. Cantor. This is a new species
lately described and figured by Dr. Theodore Cantor,
who obtained it in the Bay of Bengal, and in which the
head is still wider than in cither of the other known spe-
cies ; a straight line drawn from the one eye to the other
is equal to about one half of the total length of the fish.

HAMMER-HEADED SHARK.

65

In shape tlie fins are like those of the four species already
known ; the only difference I have observed, says Dr. Can-
tor, is the situation of the anal fin, which in the present spe-
cies is somewhat anterior to the second dorsal, while these fins
in the others are opposite.

66 RAIIDE.

CHONDROPrERYGII.

RAIIDM.

THE FLAPPER SKATE.

Rata intermedia. Parnell.

Raia intermedia, Flapper Skate, Parnell, R. S. E. Proceedings, 17 April,

1837, p. 166.

Trans. R. S. E. vol. xiv. pi. 6.
,, ,, ,, „ Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc. vol.

vii. p. 429,pl. XL.

" This fish," says Dr. Parnell, " which was obtained in
the Frith of Forth in the month of May, seems to be a
new species of Skate, since I am not aware of its having- been
previously described. It appears to be the connecting link
between Raia hatis and Raia oxyrhynchiis., to both of which
it is closely allied, and it is from this circumstance that I
suggest the specific name of intermedia.''''

FLAPPER SKATE. 67

" It is distinguished from Raia batis, in the upper sur-
face of the body being perfectly smooth, without granulations,
and of a dark olive colour spotted with white ; in the ante-
rior part of each orbit being furnished with a strong spine
pointing backwards ; in the dorsal fins being more remote
from each other, and in the anterior margins of the pectorals
being rather more concave, giving the snout a sharper appear-
ance ; whereas, in Raia batis, the upper surface of the body
is rough to the touch, of a uniform dusky grey without spots;
the orbits without spines ; the dorsal fins nearly approximate,
and the anterior margins of the pectorals nearly straight."

" It is likewise removed from Raia oxyrhynchus^ in the
snout being conic ; the under surface of the body dark grey ;
a spine in front of each orbit, and the back of a dark olive-
green, spotted with white ; whereas in the Raia oxyrhyn-
chus, the snout is sharp and long, with the lateral margins
parallel near the tip ; the under surface of the body pure
white, and the back of a plain brown without spots."

This species is not uncommon in the Frith of Forth, and
I have met, observes Dr. Parnell, " with two examples of a
variety of this fish which were taken in the salmon-nets at
Queensferry. They were both of small size, about eighteen
inches in length. The back was of a uniform dark olive
green without spots of any description, covered with a thick
mucus ; under surface of a dark grey ; body very thin ; snout
sharp, conical ; pectorals at their anterior margin rather
sinuous, passing oiF somewhat suddenly at that part, in a line
with the temporal orifices, giving the outline of the anterior
part quite a different appearance to that observed in Raia
intermedia ; the anterior part of each orbit is furnished with
a spine ; back perfectly smooth ; tail with one row of spines
on the dorsal ridge ; fins, and in all other respects, similar
to Raia intermedia.''''

A female specimen of this fish, about two feet in length,

68

tail included, is tlius described by Dr. Pamell : — " Body
rhomboidal, the transverse diameter equalling the distance
between the point of the snout and the last tubercle but
three on the central ridge of the tail ; from the point of the
snout to the temporal orifice, rather more than one third the
length as far as the end of the anal fin, and one fourth the
length as far as the termination of the first dorsal. Body
very thin ; snout pointed, conical ; pectorals large, somewhat
of a triangular form, uniting in front at the snout, and ter-
minating at the base of the ventrals ; the anterior margin
rather concave, the posterior margin rounded ; ventrals
about three times the length of their breadth ; anals
commencing close behind the ventrals, and terminating in
a free point ; rounded at the outer margins. Tail short
and firm, being no longer than the distance from the
base of the anal fin to the anterior margin of the orbit ;
along the mesial line is a line of tubercles with sharp points
directed downwards, about eighteen in number, commencing
at the base of the anal, and terminating at the commence-
ment of the first dorsal fin ; no lateral spines visible. First
dorsal fin small, rounded at the free extremity ; situated
about one third of the length of the tail from the tip: the
base of the fin about equalling the length : second dorsal
rather smaller than the first, and about the same form, placed
about half-way between the termination of the first and the
tip of the tail ; caudal fin rudimentary. Colour of the upper
surface of the body of a dark olive green, with numerous
white spots ; on the under surface dark grey, with minute
specks of a deeper colour. Eyes rather small, flattened
above, placed in front of the temporal orifices ; skin both
above and below perfectly smooth ; a strong, sharp, bent
spine in front of each orbit ; no spine or tubercles of any
description on the back. Mouth large, placed beneath ;
teeth small, not so large or so sharp as those in liaia bads.

SANDY RAY.

CHONDROPTERYGIl.

69

RAIIDjE.

THE SANDY RAY.

Raia radula, Delar. Mem. Poiss. Ivic. in An. Must. Hist. Nat. t. xiii. p. 321 .
,, Rate rape, Ilisso, Hist. t. iii. p. 151, sp. 38.

„ ratissoire, Blainv. Faun. Franc, p. 25.
„ Razza scuffina, C. L. Bonap. Faun. Ital. pt. xiii.

The Sandy Ray, Couch, Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. xi. p. 71.

In the second volume of tlie New Series of tlie Magazine
of Natural History, and the eleventh volume of the whole

TO RAIID.E,

work, Mr. Couch has given a figure and description of a
species of Ray, which he hopes will be sufficient to prove
that it cannot be confounded with any other Ray recognised
as British ; " but whether," says Mr. Couch, " it can be re-
ferred to any species described by other authors, I am not
able to specify, except that I have with some degree of
hesitation, supposed it to be possibly the Raia aslerias of
Ray, Syn. Pise. p. 27."

" I cannot, however, persuade myself but that this species
has been described by some authors, to whose writings I
have no opportunity of obtaining access ; I therefore refrain
from assigning to it a trivial name, that I may be in no
danger of adding to science a useless synonyme. Its English
name of Sandy Ray, will be sufficient as a provisional de-
signation,"

The close accordance of the figure and description of this
fish given by Mr. Couch, to the figure and descriptions of
the Raia radula of the authors here quoted, leaves little
room to doubt but that they refer to the same species, and
I include the fish, therefore, as here given, on Mr. Couch's
authority.

" It bears but a distant resemblance to the Raia maailata,
or Homelyn," Mr. Couch observes, " either in appearance or
value ; for while the Homelyn is esteemed as food, either
fresh or salted, this is thought worthy only to bait the crab-
pot, or, just as frequently, to be thrown aside for manure.
It is of frequent occurrence in moderately deep water, from
spring to the end of autumn. In winter, however, it is not
often seen, chiefly, perhaps, because at that season the boats
do not venture quite so far from land ; but, perhaps, also,
from the fish having changed its quarters. It seems to be
an indiscriminate feeder, living on small fishes, and different
kinds of Crustacea."

" The specimen described, which was of the ordinary size.

SANDY RAY.

71

measured three feet eight inches in length, of which the tail
was nineteen inches ; the breadth two feet four inches and a
half. The snout projected three-quarters of an inch, pro-
minent and elevated; the mouth three inches and a half
wide, six inches from the snout. Under jaw peaked in the
middle ; the teeth slender, sharp, in rows not very closely
placed. The body passes off circularly from the snout, the
greatest breadth opposite the centre of the disk, and of a
rounded form. From the snout the ridge is elevated to the
eyes, a distance of five inches and three-quarters ; eyes two
inches asunder ; temporal orifices large. Body thickest pos-
teriorly; the tail stout at its origin, rounded above, tapering;
a groove along the body and tail ; two fins on the latter
close together. A few spines near the end of the snout ; a
semicircle of them behind each eye ; four short parallel rows
on the centre of the back, and a middle one continued along
the groove to the tail, which is covered with stout hooks,
scarcely in regular order. The remainder of the body
smooth. Colour above a uniform dusky brown, white below.
On the back a variable number of ocellated spots, the size of
the section of a large pea ; the centre pale yellow, the margin
a deeper impression, of the colour of the skin. I have
counted from eight to sixteen of these spots in different
specimens, and believe they have no determinate number ;
but they are always placed, on each side, with corresponding
regularity.""

" Besides this description and figure, which I hope will
enable those who visit our fishing vessels to ascertain this
species, I will further observe, as marks of distinction from
the other British species of this genus, that in addition to
the form of the teeth, which are crooked and slender, resem-
bling a bird's claw in miniature, but which still are less long,
slender, sharp, or crooked, than in young specimens of the
Raia oxyrhynchvs^ it may be distinguished by a great ten-

72

dency to circularity in the disk, formed chiefly by a rounding
off of the pectoral fins, by a flatness of the anterior portion,
by the uniformity of its colour, the regularity of the spots,
and the comparatively short and tapering tail.""

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