122 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



appendages, 1 2 well developed and 4 inches long ; small teeth in 

 both jaws ; on the palate are six hard patches, the posterior pair 

 -inch long, and extending into the oesophagus. These patches 

 are beset with long, sharp, somewhat bent spines. Within the 

 angle formed by the lower end of the gills lie two patches of a 

 triangular form, the posterior ends of which are also set with sharp 

 bent spines. Dr. Day says, " barbed teeth extend into the 

 oesophagus," but my specimen had not a single barbed tooth. The 

 great peculiarity in this fish is its possession of what may be called 

 " cheek pouches," along which run longitudinally a number of ridges, 

 each having a number of obtuse knobs upon them, and each knob 

 is beset with sharp teeth. There are also, at the opening of these 

 pouches, a number of strong thick plates which extend into each 

 pocket and run half its length, but without the knobs, as on the 

 ridges already mentioned. What is the function of those pouches ? 

 They are highly developed, their outer coat being thick and muscular, 

 and they form a large lump immediately behind the gills. Do they 

 act as grinders for the food ? Of what does the food consist if it 

 requires such organs for its preparation ? The gill rakers are short 

 and rather stout, the longest about ^-inch, and set on their inner 

 edge with long, sharp, rather weak spines. Each gill arch has, on 

 both sides, a number of transverse bars, and each of them is set 

 with many sharp, bent spines. Another peculiarity in this species 

 is the porous spongy appearance of the vertebrae, which conveys the 

 idea of feebleness. This feeling is further heightened by the weak 

 attenuated condition of the spinous processes. Again, each vertebra 

 is very deeply cupped, having only a slight partition in the centre. 

 GEORGE SIM. 



Three-bearded Roekling 1 in Shetland. A specimen of the 

 Three-bearded Roekling (Motella tridrrata, Bl.), measuring iyf 

 inches in length, was presented to the Edinburgh Museum of 

 Science and Art in January 1901 by Dr. Cameron Bowie of Clousta, 

 by Bixter, Shetland, who obtained it from the sea in his immediate 

 neighbourhood. This seems to be the first record for the Shetland 

 Islands, as it is not mentioned in Evans and Buckley's work on the 

 fauna of Shetland, nor is its occurrence in these islands noted in 

 Day's " British Fishes," or in any other work which I have con- 

 sulted. R. H. TRAQUAIR. 



Spinax niger and Chimserse monstrosa in the Pentland Firth. 

 Mr. Alexander Meek, in his " Report on the Scientific Investiga- 

 tions, 1901 " to the Northumberland Sea Fisheries Committee, 

 records (p. 61) the capture of two interesting fishes, viz. Spinax 

 niger, the Black Dog-Fish, and Chitnczra monstrosa, the " King of 

 the Herrings," both captured in August last in the Pentland Firth. 

 The former was identified by Dr. Ridewood, of the British Museum. 

 Both specimens were females. 



