S56 



[Wk place in a sfparate seclion or pfpniis, but without a^j'sipfnino: to 

 it II separate name, species wliich have u much more lengthened and 

 comparatively slender body than those of the proper genus Si/nffnathits, 

 with a true although very small caudal fin, but without pectorals, 

 anals, or a pouch to receive the young; wliich latter circumstance 

 we think of sufficient importance of itself to warrant the separation ] 



OCEAN PIPEFISH. 



Sfj)>ijii<'(lins ceqnorcus, LinNjEUS. Cuvier. 



" .Tenyns; Manual, p. 436. 



" ' Yaurell; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 442. 



This species is more especially an inhabitant of the open 

 ocean, where in summer our fishermen report that they see it 

 near the surface over a depth of more than fifty fathoms, at 

 a distance from land of ten or fifteen leagues; and generally 

 its coming near the shore appears to be by accidental wandering 

 rather than from design, and on this account it has been 

 believed to be more scarce than it really is. The only 

 exception to these remarks that I have met with is from Mr. 

 Andrews, already quoted, who says, ("Zoologist," volume for 

 18G0,) "In Dingle Harbour the S. cecjuoreus may be met with 

 very abundantly in the summer months, spawning in the 

 months of June and July, This is the largest and most 

 beautiful of the species, the girth of the body being oval, of 

 a long tapering form to the tail. These fish under favourable 

 opportunities of calmness and of tides, may be seen side by 

 side, clinging with their tails to the tufts of Zostera marina, 

 in which position the male is enabled to attach to the abdomen 

 the ova by the same influence of viscid secretion alluded to 

 in the marsupial species:" or, as I shall prefer to express it, 

 by the combined action of both parents the ova are transferred 

 from the female to the external surface of the male, from the 



