16 Mr. Thompson on Fishes new to Ireland. 



taken about the same place occurred to the late Mr. Templeton 

 (Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. i. p. 411, New Series). The species 

 should consequently have been omitted as an unrecorded Irish 

 one ; but as a description was drawn up, and specimens had 

 not come under the inspection of either Yarrell or Jenyns 

 previous to the publication of their respective works, it has 

 been considered better with this notice to retain it. 



Platessa Pol a, Cuv., Pole.— On April 26, 1837, I pro- 

 cured, in Belfast market, six specimens of this fish, which had 

 been taken along with turbot, &c. at Ardglass, on the coast 

 of Down. Such is the difference in the number of rays in 

 their fins, especially in the anal, that it seems to me desirable 

 to be noticed at full length. 



No. 1. Length 14f inches; D.102; A. 89; V. 6. 



2. „ 14£ „ 102 88 6 



3. „ 14* „ 108 92 6 



4. „ 13£ „ 110 100 6 



5. „ 13 „ 102 86 6 



6. „ 12 „ 106 91 6 



No. 1. P. 12 on upper, 10 on under side ; C. 19 a la Cuv., or 23 altogether. 



2. 12 „ 10 „ 19 „ 23 



3. 11 on each side 19 „ 23 



4. 11 „ 19 „ 25 



5. 12 on upper, 1 on under side ; 19 „ 23 



6. 11 „ 10 „ 19 „ 22 



Branchiostegous membrane in each specimen consisting of 

 five rays ; in each likewise a short strong bony spine, directed 

 forwards before the anal fin, but which cannot be called a 

 spinous ray : in some individuals the skin covers it, in others 

 the point is exposed. 



With the short specific characters in the e Manual of British 

 Vertebrate Animals' these individuals agree, with one ex- 

 ception, that of the lateral line not being " straight through- 

 out its course," although it is nearly so — from the origin it 

 slopes gently over the pectoral fin, and thence to the tail is 

 straight. They correspond in every detail with the general 

 description in the same work, except in the following particu- 

 lars, in which the specimens exhibit considerable difference. 

 Mr. Jenyns remarks, u greatest elevation of the [dorsal] fin 

 contained five times and a half in the breadth of the body," 



