FOUR-BEARDED ROCKLING. 275 



sent me by Mr. Euing of Glasgow, to whom I am indebted 

 for the opportunity of making known the new species of 

 Smelt. These two specimens of the Four-bearded Rock- 

 ling were taken near Rothsay, and in reference to them 

 Mr. Euing's letters contain the following remarks: "I 

 have never met with the Three or the Five-bearded Rock- 

 ling, but small specimens of that with four cirri are fre- 

 quently brought in on the long lines from deep water. It 

 is, indeed, by no means a very rare fish with us, and I have 

 seen it at almost every visit to the coast since 1827, the year 

 in which I first observed it." 



I have since received two preserved specimens from Dr. 

 Edward Clarke, who obtained several examples from the 

 Frith of Forth while he was residing in Edinburgh ; he is 

 now settled at Hartlepool, and Ichthyology is likely to be 

 greatly assisted by his observation and exertions. 



This fish is rare in the Baltic, but is not uncommon on 

 the southern coast of Sweden ; it is found also among the 

 islands of the Catigat, on the west coast of Norway, and in 

 the Atlantic. 



Dr. Parnell says, " on dissecting the specimen, I found 

 the stomach filled with shrimps and small crabs. The csecal 

 appendages were few in number; the roe was large; the ova 

 small and numerous, and apparently in a fit state to be de- 

 posited. It is probable that the habits of this fish are similar 

 to those of the other species, but from its rarity it is diffi- 

 cult to determine. 1 ' 1 



Description by Dr. Parnell, from a specimen fourteen 

 inches in length : " Form closely resembling that of the 

 Five-bearded Rockling, but the length of the head somewhat 

 greater compared to that of the body. The body elongated, 

 rounded in front, compressed behind, tapering from the vent 

 to the caudal extremity ; greatest depth less than the length 

 of the head. Head one-sixth of the entire length, caudal 



T 2 



