156 The Scottish Naturalist. 



(behind the jaws) ir inches, greatest depjh (behind the pectoral fins) S% inches, 

 breadth of head between the eyes Z]/% inches. It is very evident from Couch's 

 figure and description that he had never seen an example of this fish, as indeed 

 he himself says. The figure is so far from correct in almost every point that it is 

 recognisable as intended for that species only by the possession of tipo dorsal 

 fins. As may be seen from the measurements given above, its breadth is greater 

 than its depth, while its length is about as great in proportion to its depth as in 

 any other shark, while Couch's figure represents it as very deep in proportion to 

 its length. The chief points in which it differs from his figure and description 

 otherwise are as follows. The eye is oval, antero-posteriorly, and bluish-grey ; 

 the pupil oval vertically, and catlike in colour. The spines cover not only the 

 body but also the snout and the fins, being even more numerous, though smaller, 

 on these parts than on the body. The gill openings are entirely in front 

 of the pectoral fins, on the same level. The tail has a pretty large lower lobe. The 

 colour of the bactf is dark bluish-grey, which becomes paler on the sides, and is 

 mixed with reddish tints on the belly. The outline figure in -Gosse's Marine 

 Zoology represents very well the true shape of the fish. — J. W. H. Traill, 

 Aberdeen. 



"What is Trichiurus lepturrs Hoy ?— In the recently published part of the 

 Anales of the Spanish Society of Natural History, Professor Poey of Havannah 

 describes and figures a curious fish under the name of Evoxymetopon tceniaius. 

 This fish belongs to the family Trichiurid-z of Giinther, and was captured on 

 the coast of Cuba. Professor Poey, however, thinks that it is probably an 

 accidental visitor, and is really an inhabitant of more northern seas ; and he is 

 inclined to think that a fish captured in November 1812 off the coasts of Scot- 

 land, and described by Mr. Hoy in the Linnaean Transactions XI. p. 210, under 

 the name of Trichiurus lepturus was probably the same species as the Evoxy- 

 metopon tceniaius. Professor Poey says,that Hoy's description is inapplicable either 

 to Trichiurus lepturus, or Lepidopus caudatus. Can any of our ichthyologists 

 state whether Professor Poey's conjecture as to the real species of Trichiurus 

 lepturus Hoy be correct or not ? — D. Sharp. 



NOTE ON THE EXAMINATION OF A MALE KELT. 



By W. C. M'INTOSH, M.D., F.L.S., F.R.S.E. 



PHE Fish was found dead at the side of the river Tay, on 

 the 7th February, 1865, arid I am obliged to Mr. John 

 Ferguson, of the Boat of Caputh, for directing my attention 

 thereto. 



The weight of the specimen was about 281bs., but of course it 

 was in a lean condition. It had the following measurements: — 



Length from snout to tip of tail, about 3 feet 4 ^-inches. 



,, to posterior border of operculum, 10 „ 



„ to middle of eye, - 5 „ 



„ to anterior base of pectoral, 10 „ 



