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Show 1879.] OF WESTON-SUPER-MARE. 759 last few seasons I understand that they have greatly decreased in numbers in the Wye. As the floods at the earlier part of this year entirely precluded their capture at the mouth of the latter river, it is to be presumed that there will be an augmented supply in May and June 1880, should the season be favourable for fishing. CLUPEA PILCHARDUS, Walb. The Pilchard. (Plate LXII. fig. 1.) A few stragglers are said occasionally to be taken off Weston. Observing a great diversity in the various descriptions of this fish, I applied to Mr. Dunn of Megavissey, who kindly forwarded me about a dozen, one half of which were spotted along the sides, the remainder being spotless. The following are the various formularies given for this fish :- Donovan. D. 18, P. 16, V. 8, A. 17, 0. 32. (L. 1. shown as distinct in figure, with about 31 scales.) Yarrell. B. viii. D. 18, P. 16, V. 8, A. 18, C. 19. Scales " verv large." Cuv. & Val. D. 17, P. 17, V. 6, A. 21, C. 18, L. 1. 29. Ceec. pyl. innumerable. Couch. D. 18, P. 16, V. 8, C. 22, L. 1. (about 37 in figure). Giinther. B. vi. D. 17-18, V. 6, A. 18-19, L. 1. 47-48. Caec. pyl. 7. Thus the number of scales along the body in this fish vary to different authors from 29 to 48; the ventral fin rays from 6 to 8, and the caecal appendages between "seven" and "innumerable." Taking some fine examples of Pilchards sent to me by Mr. Matthias Dunn, I found them as follows:- D. 18, P. 19, V. 8, A. 17-18, C. 19, L.l. 29-30, L. tr. 9. Csec. pyl. numerous. From 17 to 19 scutes before the base of fin, and 14 posterior to it. The proportions being shown in the figure (Plate LXII.), it is unnecessary to advert to them. The csecal appendages were very numerous, and much shorter in some examples tban in others. The sole British Clupea that I have met with having only 7 appendages is C. sprattus, which, however, has 47-48 scales along the lateral line. Therefore I cannot think that Clupea sagax, Jenyns, from the Pacific coast of America, Japan, and New Zealand, is "so closely allied to the European Pilchard that it might be more properly described as a climatal variety" (Gunther, Catal. vii. p. 444) ; for though the number of dorsal and anal fin-rays is the same, instead of having L. 1. 29-30, L. tr. 9, it has L. 1. 50-54, L. tr. 13-a conclusive proof that the two ought not to be classed as varieties of one species. However, I think I am now in a position to explain this remarkable discrepancy in the number of scales as given by various authors. I received a scaleless (but otherwise beautiful) example of Pilchard, 8*3 inches in length, from Mr. Dunn, PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1879, No. XLIX. 49 |