SAND-LAUNCE. 431 



young of the preceding year. May, August, and December, 

 have each been named as the month in which the adult fish 

 deposit their spawn ; but the habits and economy of the two 

 species have been greatly confounded hitherto, under the 

 supposition that they were but examples of the same fish, 

 differing only in size. 



The Sancl-Launee has been noticed on the coasts of the 

 counties of Londonderry, Antrim, Dublin, and Cork ; I 

 learn also from F. C. Lukis, Esq. that both species are 

 found at Guernsey; but that Lancea is the most common. 

 The search for them in the sand prevails there, but it is 

 usually made on moonlight nights. 



Dr. Richardson includes this species in his Fauna-Boreal i- 

 Americana, and I have seen a specimen that was brought 

 from Iceland by Mr. Proctor. 



The food of the Sand-Launce is marine worms and very 

 small fishes. 



The usual length of this species is from five to seven 

 inches : the length of the head compared to the length of 

 the fish is less than as one to five : the lower jaw shorter in 

 proportion than in the other species ; the protractile portion 

 of the upper jaw much more free to move, and when the 

 lower jaw is pressed down, this moveable part comes forward 

 and downward : the posterior margin of the eye is less than 

 half-way between the point of the lower jaw and the posterior 

 projecting angle of the gill-cover, being placed nearer the 

 nose than in Tobianus ; the dorsal fin commencing in a line 

 over the middle of the pectoral fin. 



The fin-rays in number are 



D. 51 : P. 13 : A. 25 : C. 15. 



