BOAR-FISH. 191 



short account of the species necessarily belong to a History 

 of British Fishes. Its right to rank among them is con- 

 firmed by the fact, that at the moment of preparing this 

 account, I am favoured by the united kindness of W. C. 

 Trevelyan, Esq. of Nettlecombe, and Mr. William Baker, 

 of Bridgcwater, with a notice of the occurrence of a second 

 example of this rare fish, which was obtained in Bridgewater 

 fish-market on the 18th of April 1833. A drawing of the 

 fish, made while this specimen retained its natural colour, also 

 accompanied the communication. Mr. Baker has since been 

 kind enough to give me his specimen, just referred to, and 

 Mr. Harvey of Teignmouth has recently obtained an example 

 of this rare fish on the Devonshire coast. 



The Capros, according to the ancient authorities, was 

 known to Aristotle. It is figured and described by Rondele- 

 tius, and again by Willughby, as quoted. It is said to have 

 been called by several names that signify wild boar and ma- 

 rine boar, on account of its projecting nose and mouth, the 

 form of the head, and its bristling spines. 



It is a fish well known as inhabiting the Mediterranean, 

 where, according to M. Risso, it spawns in April. The 

 flesh is hard, and Lacepede says it emits also an unpleasant 

 odour. 



The Zoological Society having received three specimens 

 of it from Madeira, presented by the Rev. R. T. Lowe, 

 and the use of one of these specimens having been immedi- 

 ately granted to me on my making the request, I am thus 

 enabled to supply both figure and description from the 

 fish. 



I am not aware that any figure from nature of the Boar- 

 fish has hitherto been published, except the one originally 

 given by Rondeletius. While referring to this representa- 

 tion, I may be excused reminding the reader who possesses 

 a copy of the work of Rondeletius on the fishes of the 



