202 RIBAND-SHAPED. 



authors, leads to the supposition that more than one species 

 will yet be defined. 



The flesh is eaten, and, according to Risso, it is firm and 

 delicate. 



The females are full of ova in spring ; they approach the 

 shore in May. 



A very young specimen of this fish was found alive on 

 the shore in Slapton Bay, on the south coast of Devon, about 

 four miles east of the Start Point, in February 1810. "I 

 regretted,"" says Colonel Montagu, " not having seen it 

 alive ; but it was quite fresh and perfect when brought 

 to me the day after it was taken, and is now in high 

 preservation in spirits. It measures about ten inches in 

 length, and half an inch in breadth, at the broadest part, 

 just behind the head, and where its thickness does not 

 much exceed one-eighth of an inch. It differs in nothing 

 but size from that before described : the characteristic larger 

 teeth are conspicuous, and the two ventral scales are also 

 obvious by the assistance of a glass : the dorsal and anal 

 fins are so fine in this young specimen, and lie so close, 

 that they are not easily discovered, unless they are lifted 

 up by some pointed instrument : the caudal fin is very 

 small, but perfect : the under jaw projects full as much 

 in proportion as in the larger fish : the whole skin is covered 

 with a silvery cuticle, which is easily separated by gentle 

 friction, and adheres to the fingers ; it is not of that high 

 polish observed in some of the scaly fishes, and is a little 

 wrinkled ; there are also several slight longitudinal depres- 

 sions on the sides, that give a striped appearance in some 

 points of view. 



" How arc we to account for this very young specimen 

 being found in our seas, unless the spawn had been deposited 

 on our coast ? And if, as we may now conclude, this fish 



