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Show 750 MR. F. D A Y O N T H E FISHES [Dec. 2, examining it, I found three caecal appendages, whereas this usually stated only to possess two. XIPHIAS GLADIUS, Linn. The Sword-fish. The cast of an example exists in the Weston Museum, taken by Mr. Mable from a specimen 9 feet long, which was captured near the town, at Burnham, in the summer of 1873. Its snout and fins are likewise preserved. On its left side, opposite the hind edge of the first anal fin, existed a large cicatrix, evidently due to a wound, which had nearly transfixed the fish, there being a spot on the opposite side showing to where the injury had extended. It does not seem improbable that this wound may have been inflicted by another individual of the same species. In the daily newspapers the capture of one of these fish in the Wye, on October 9th, is announced. It strayed up during the night, and was left stranded at Chepstow on the ebb making. Length 8 feet 6 inches; snout 3 feet long; weight 200 lb. I was particularly desirous of examining the Gobies of Weston, as Couch has figured and described several supposed new species or Mediterranean forms from that locality. Every ichthyologist will admit the difficulty of solving questions of species, especially among Gobies, when the author omits to mention the number of the fin-rays, makes no remarks on the scales or teeth, while the size of the published figures does not accord with that of the specimen as described in the text. Finding myself completely at a loss, I determined to collect these fishes at Weston, whence the Yellow Goby, the One-spotted Goby, the Speckled Goby, the Transparent Goby, and the Slender Goby had been obtained. While demurring to the value of some of these species, it must not be overlooked that in the following identifications of Couch's text and plates I have had to be guided very considerably by colour and form, while, on the other hand, our examples came from the same locality. GOBIUS MINUTUS, Gmel., Linn.; Donovan, pi. xxxviii.; Yarrell; Parnell. This species was very numerous; some examples agreed with G. unipunctatus, Parnell, and One-spotted Goby, Couch, and probably G. gracilis, Jenyns ; while the Tail-spotted Goby of Couch is perhaps the young. GOBIUS RUTHENSPARRI, Euph. Not uncommon. Couch's Two-spotted Goby is this species, while his Broad-finned Goby may be the male. GOBIUS RHODOPTERUS, Gunther. Not rare. It is identical with G. minutus, Couch, and G. gracilis, Parnell and Yarrell (not Jenyns). The female differs considerably in colour from the male, while its fins are lower. It appears to be the Yellow Goby of Couch, not of Risso. |