252 BANKs's OARFISH. 



until additional liglit Avas thrown on it from the examination 

 of other examples. There was one remarkable circumstance, 

 however, Avhich was noticed of this specimen, that has' stamped 

 an influence on the history of this fish as a sin;i;ularity in 

 itself, as well as that it offers an explanation of the reason 

 Avhy some of the published figures and descriptions are so 

 exceedingly u.nsatisfactory. When handled this fish broke into 

 pieces, as has been the case also more or less Avith the body 

 or fins in every instance to the latest date, thus shewing the 

 remarkable brittleness of its substance. 



In the order of events the next example we have to notice 

 is one which was left by the tide on the beach at the little 

 town of NcAvlyn, near Penzance, on the 23rd. of February, 

 1788, and of which various figures have been given, with a 

 difference of dates; although from inquiry I have not been 

 able to satisfy myself that more than a single example has ever 

 been met with in Cornwall. It is said by Shaw, indeed, in 

 the remarks on the fish called Hawkins' Gymnetrus, which 

 he has borrowed from Bloch, that he has seen a printed 

 account in which a fish was described that he believed to be 

 of the same species as the Gymnetrus of Hawkins, and which 

 was also thrown on shore on the coast of Cornwall in February, 

 1798. This example was said to have been six feet and a 

 half long, and six .inches and a half in depth; in thickness 

 two inches and three fourths. The body was silvery and the 

 fins red. Our remarks from Bloch are as extracted from an 

 edition of his work in 18mo, kindly lent to me by the late 

 Lieutenant-Colonel C. Hamilton Smith, R..A., of Plymouth, the 

 well-known eminent naturalist; where it is said that this fish 

 was distinguished by a fin which is immediately over the front 

 of the head, and furnished with several distinct processes that 

 were formed on one extended membrane. It Avas also particu- 

 larly marked by the fin of the tail, which in the figure is 

 shaped as being forked. The body was sword-shaped; the 

 opening of the gills large; the rays soft. This fish, says he, 

 was sent to me by Mr. Hawken, (whom in another place he 

 calls Hawkins,) from Avhom also I received the figure; and in 

 his communication that gentleman informed him that the fish 

 had been taken near Goa, in the Indian Sea, on the 2.3rd. of 

 July, in the year 17'^8, a date which M. Valenciennes corrects 



