RED B.YNDFISH. 227 



note at the end of his description of rubescens, asks, Is this 

 fish distinct from the taenia of Linnaeus, and how ? The 

 latter is said to be distinguished by a row of hard points 

 along the side, above the lateral line, and by an inner second 

 row of teeth on the lower jaw. My Mediterranean specimen, 

 thirteen inches long, has the rough line just below the base 

 of the dorsal fin, and a second row of six small teeth within 

 the lower jaw. 



In reference to the first of these distinctions, it is essential 

 to remark, that Mr. Couch, in his description in the Linnean 

 Transactions of a Cornish specimen fifteen inches long, says, 

 " Besides the lateral line, there was a row of small bony 

 prominences near the dorsal fin." 



The number of fin-rays agree very nearly : in the small 

 specimen preserved in spirits, they are 



D. 69 : P. 16 : V. 1 +5 : A. 61 : C. 11. 



Of the habits of this fish but little is known. M. Risso 

 says, that when moving in the water, its appearance has sug- 

 gusted the epithets of Fire-flame and Red-riband, by both of 

 which names it is known at Nice. He adds, also, that it 

 lives principally among seaweed near the shore ; and though 

 it feeds on crustaceous and molluscous animals, yet its flesh 

 is not esteemed for its flavour. 



" The air-bladder of this fish," says Mr. Couch, " is re- 

 markable for its large size, and the chief part, not in the 

 abdomen, but behind it, occupying the space from the spine 

 behind the vent and along the anal fin." 



It may be considered worth noticing here, that a large 

 proportion of the examples of the family of riband-shaped 

 fishes that have been obtained in this, as well as in other 

 countries, have been found on the shore after stormy weather. 



Does their elongated form prevent their swimming with ease 

 in in id- water, and inducing a habit of keeping near the 



Q 2 



