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Show 748 MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHES [Dec. 2 the first dorsal fin (T. blochii). This dorsal blotch, however, as rule, is present in all specimens, although in some it is faint, or merges into the colour of the remainder of the fin, while it frequently becomes lost in examples kept long in spirit. Occasionally the dorsal blotch insfead of being round is semicircular. This is said to be the most common form of Gurnard at Weston; but none of the genus were captured when I was there. Although Couch observes that T. gurnardus is less sensible to variations in temperature than any other form of British Gurnard, it is found to be the most difficult to keep alive in the Westminster Aquarium. TRIGLA LYRA, Linn. The Piper. Somersetshire (Baker). Scouler (Mag. Nat. Hist. vi. 1833, p. 529) states this fish not to be rare at Glasgow, where it sometimes attains to 7 lb. weight. Lord Ducie found it this year more abundant than usual in Ballinskellig Bay, where in August he obtained nine with the trawl, in 1878 none, in 1877 one, in 1876 four. AGONUS CATAPHRACTUS, Linn. The Pogge. A local example exists in the Weston Museum. TRACHINUS DRACO, Linn. Great Weever. A single local example in the Weston Museum. TRACHINUS VIPERA, Cuv. & Val. Little Weever. I obtained a single specimen from the stationary fish-nets. The fishermen professed to regard these fish as very rare. SCOMBER SCOMBER, Linn. The Mackerel. A few (adult) are occasionally taken near Weston. Mr. Dunn, of Megavissey, observes (MS.) that " many have the fins of the belly red. Our fishermen carefully note them, as when they appear quantities of fish are always off the coast. * * * Their ova float on the surface of the sea. * * * During the month of September this year some hundreds of a fish-louse (Rocinela dannoniensis1) have been found on the Mackerel at Megavissey ; all I have noticed or heard of have, except in one instance, been taken from near the pectoral fins ; the one excepted was imbedded in a wound near the vent of the fish. These 'Lice,' as our fishermen call them, visit our coasts in countless millions in the spring months of the year; they seldom come nearer than 3 miles from the shore, and remain on the sea-bottom. Sea-Bream eat them readily." In the ' Field' (August 9th) is an account of another Isopod, JEga tridens, and its carnivorous propensities. It is there stated, by both M r . Tudor and Mr. Anderson, that in Shetland they attack the fish caught on the long lines, when laid on certain sandy bottoms or grounds, and, getting in through the gills, it is supposed, eat up the inside of the fish without destroying the skin or bone, so that 1 Mr. Miers has kindly identified the species. |