CENTROPHORUS RINGENS IN BRITISH WATERS 13 



men of this very rare fish was caught in a net at Lossiemouth 

 in 1841. It measured 14 inches in length, and was almost 

 wholly black. It proved an object of great curiosity to the 

 fishermen and the sailors, who declared that they had never 

 before seen so singular a fish (Mr. Martin}" 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. 



Outline of a specimen of the Blackfish \Centrolophus ni^cr (Gmelin)] from 

 Largo Bay, rather less than one-third natural size. 



OCCURRENCE OF CENTROPHORUS RINGENS 

 IN BRITISH WATERS 



By GEORGE SIM, A.L.S. 



A SPECIMEN of this shark, a female, 4^- feet long, was caught 

 by line off Barra Head, Outer Hebrides, in August last, and 

 was brought to Aberdeen market. 



The species is common along the coast of Portugal, 

 where it was first described by Bocage and Capello as 

 Scymnodon ringens. This fish is distinguished from the 

 other seven species of the same genus in the form of its 

 teeth ; by its scales, each of which have three high strong 

 ribs on its surface ; and by its possession of a strong, short, 

 blunt spine in front of each dorsal fin. In general appear- 

 ance it is somewhat like Centrina salviani ; but is easily 

 distinguished from that species in being plain along the 

 sides, whereas C. salviani has a keel of skin along each side 

 of the abdomen. 



I have failed to find any previous record of this species 

 for British waters, and shall be glad if any of your readers 

 know of such. 



