Identity of the Deal Fish with the Vaagmaer. 215 



Art. VII. Obser^vations tending to establish the Identity/ of the Deal 

 Fish ofOrliney with the Vaagmaer of Iceland, By the Rev. Dr. 

 Fleming. 



A VARIETY of circumstances have prevented me from com- 

 municating, at an earlier period, a notice of the addition of a 

 new species to the number of our British fishes, especially 

 the hope of obtaining more satisfactory information on the 

 subject. In this, however, I have been disappointed; and 

 must seek for consolation from the hope that the present 

 notice of the occurrence of a fish resembling the Vaagmaer 

 on our northern shores may induce those who enjoy suitable 

 opportunities to exert themselves in procuring entire speci- 

 mens, in order that more perfect descriptions of the peculiar 

 characters of the species may be gained for science than have 

 hitherto appeared. 



Nearly two years ago, I received a communication from 

 a zealous observer of nature, Dr. Alexander S. Duguid, 

 physician in Kirkwall, Orkney, dated April 8. 1829. It 

 contained the description of a fish which had been taken 

 alive in Sanday, in Orkney ; and sent to him by Mr. Strang, 

 an enterprising agriculturist of that island. The following is 

 an extract from the letter of my intelligent correspondent. 

 " It was caught alive in the island of Sanday, and was sent 

 to me by Mr. Strang ; but some time having elapsed, it was 

 not in so perfect a state as I could have wished, particularly 

 about the head. Length 3 ft. ; body excessively compressed, 

 particularly towards the back, where it does not exceed a 

 table-knife in thickness ; breadth nearly five inches, taper- 

 ing to the tail. Colour silvery, with minute scales; the 

 dorsal fin of an orange colour, occupying the whole ridge 

 from the head to the tail, with the rays of unequal sizes. 

 Caudal fin forked, the rays of each fork about 4 in. long. 

 Pectoral fins very minute. No ventral nor anal fins what- 

 ever. Vent immediately under the pectoral fins, and close 

 to the gill openings. Head about 4 J in. long, compressed 

 like the body, with a groove in the top. Gill lids formed of 

 transparent porous plates. Eyes an inch and a quarter in 

 diameter. Both jaws armed with small teeth. Lateral line 

 rough ; and, towards the tail, armed with minute spines 

 pointing forwards, and these are the only spines on the body. 

 I have subjoined a sketch (Jig, 34.), which may perhaps 

 afford some idea of the appearance of the fish, a is the posi- 

 tion of the vent, and b the spinous process of the snout. 

 Mr. Strang tells me that two or threfe specimens have been 

 found on the shores of the Island of Sanday this winter, as 



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