Mr. Thompson on Fishes new to Ireland, 27 



been submitted to my examination by Mr. R. Ball. Its length 

 is 19 inches, rays of dorsal fin 40. It corresponds in all re- 

 spects with this species as admirably characterized by Mr. 

 Jenyns (p. 486) ; as also does another individual obtained in 

 the autumn of 1836 on the beach near Larne (county Antrim), 

 by Mr. James Marks of that town, who presented it to the 

 Belfast Museum. This specimen is 21 \ inches long, but being 

 imperfect at the caudal extremity, must when entire have been 

 at least one inch more. Its D. rays 41. March 15, 1838. 

 I received from George Matthews, Esq. of Spring- vale (county 

 Down), a perfect and beautiful specimen of this fish which 

 was found on the beach there after a high tide during the 

 boisterous weather about the beginning of this month. Its 

 length is 22^ inches. D. rays 46. Caudal fin apparent to the 

 naked eye ; its rays distinguished by a lens, 8 in number. 

 This Syngnathus was in the present instance preserved and 

 forwarded to me on account of the fishermen being unac- 

 quainted with it. 



Syngnathus Ophidion, Bloch. Snake Pipe-fish. — From 

 Mr. R. Ball I have received two specimens of S. Ophidion, 

 which were procured in 1835 at Glendore (by Mr. Allman) 

 and Youghal. The larger one is upwards of a foot in length, 

 and with the unimportant difference of its having 41 rays on 

 the dorsal fin, both individuals agree in every character with 

 the descriptions of this species by Jenyns and Yarrell, which 

 are much more minute than Bloch's account of it. Mr. Ball 

 has subsequently informed me of his having received a third 

 specimen, about 14 inches in length, from Youghal, where it 

 was captured in July 1836. Soon after this time I received 

 a S. Ophidion from the coast of the county of Antrim. 



Hippocampus brevirostris, Cuv.? Sea-horse. — Vide 

 Zool. Proc, 1837> p. 58, for the first specimen recorded as 

 Irish. In addition to the individual there mentioned, a Hip- 

 pocampus was taken alive in Belfast Bay in July 1837, by my 

 relative Richard Langtry, Esq., and though ordered to be 

 preserved for me, was unfortunately lost. In consequence of 

 this, its species, as in the former instance, cannot be given 

 with certainty*. 



* I am credibly informed that a Hippocampus was found dead on the 

 beach near Youghal, on the southern coast, a few years ago. 



