88 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



sixth examples the mandible is abnormally short, so that 

 the premaxillary part of the upper jaw projects beyond it in 

 a striking manner, as represented in Figs. I and la on 

 Plate I. It is not uncommon to find Trout, and other 

 fishes too, with the snout imperfectly developed, so that the 

 lower jaw projects conspicuously in front of the upper, but 

 this is the first time that a case of the contrary condition 

 has come under my notice. The head of the seventh 

 specimen is represented in Figs. 2 and 20. of the same Plate. 

 In the profile view shown in Fig. 2, it is at once seen that 

 the mandible is, on the other hand, perceptibly abnormal in 

 its length ; but still more remarkable is its want of lateral 

 symmetry, when the head is seen from below, as in Fig. 2a. 

 Here it will be observed that the left ramus of the lower 

 jaw is nearly straight, being hardly curved : 11 towards its 

 extremity, while that of the right side shows an easy, well- 

 marked curve along the whole of its length. 



Mr. Harvie-Brown informs me that these Trout, of which 

 the above-mentioned seven were samples, were unfit to eat, 

 and that he is not aware that any are now alive in the pond. 



It is difficult to assign any cause to these abnormal 

 conditions in the jaws of the fish in question. Certainly it 

 is not to be found in the nature of the food ; for the stomachs 

 of the seven above-noted specimens, having been carefully 

 examined by Mr. Grimshaw, were found to contain nothing 

 but ordinary fresh -water insects and larvae, and in some 

 cases shells of Limncea peregra. 



II. LONG-SPINED SEA-BULLHEAD CHOKED BY A 

 VIVIPAROUS BLENNY. 



This specimen of Sea-Bullhead (Cottus bubalis) was found 

 dead on the shore at Fraserburgh by Mr. Norrie, and sent to 

 the Museum of Science and Art by Mr. Harvie-Brown. It 

 is six inches in length, and at once strikes the attention by 

 having the tail of a Viviparous Blenny (Z octrees viviparus) 

 projecting to a length of four inches from its right branchial 

 aperture. On looking into the wide-open mouth, the body 

 of the Zoarces is seen to be bent sharply round, while its 

 head is firmly impacted in the throat of the Cottus. It is 



