241 



SHORT SEA BREAM. 



Pagellus curtus, Zoologist; vol. ii, p. 394. 



" " Guntiier's Catalogue Br. Museum, 



vol. i, p. 377. 



On the 2nd. of September, 1843, a fisherman of Polperro 

 took with one of his ordinary baits a Sea Bream, which he 

 presently discerned never before to have fallen under his notice; 

 and in consequence it was transferred to my possession as soon 

 as he reached the land, which was before sufficient time had 

 passed to allow it to undergo any change. At the first inspec- 

 tion I was led to suppose that this example was nothing more 

 than a deformed specimen of the Common Sea Bream; and 

 such perhaps will be the opinion of some naturalists, until at 

 least another example with similar characters is obtained, and 

 renewed observation shall compel them to review their opinion. 

 But for myself, on close examination, I found this example to 

 differ in so many particulars besides its shortened form, that I 

 was induced to believe it more probably a distinct species; nor 

 has the objection to this opinion appeared to me a very for- 

 midable one, that no more than a single specimen has come 

 under the observation of naturalists; for the same remark may 

 be made of other species of fishes undoubtedly distinct, but of 

 which a single example only is on record. That no species 

 nearly resembling it is described by former authors, however 

 widely extended their observations, is only a proof of its rarity, 

 and not of its being an abnormal formation of nature. 



The length of this fish was fourteen inches, the greatest 

 depth nine inches and a half; and in proportion to its kindred 

 species the Common Sea Bream, it was of considerable thickness. 

 Under jaw slightly the longest; the teeth in front and forward 

 on the sides slight, conical, and somewhat scattered; gape 

 moderate. Eye very large, being an inch and three fourths 

 across; nostrils in a depression before the eyes, in this respect 



