Mr. W.Thompson on a new British Fish, 409 



opercle, about 20 rays ; ventrals placed high, commencing rather in 

 advance of the pectorals, somewhat square at the end, occupying \ 

 of the entire length, reaching to the vent, and consisting of about 6 

 rays : anal fin commencing at the vent, and extending to the base 

 of the caudal, unequal in height, having at least 40 rays : caudal fin 

 elongate, occupying J-th of the entire length (measured from last 

 vertebra of body), somewhat rounded at the end, containing about 

 30 rays*: branchial rays about 7: vent midway between snout 

 and base of caudal fin. Colour when recent — : back, rich green 

 varied with dots of gold and black : operculum, entire sides and 

 under surface bright silver ; pectoral, dorsal, anal and caudal fins 

 uniformly of a pale colour, ventrals likewise so for -|rds from the 

 base, remainder pitch black ; irides silvery. 



Since the above was written, I have been favoured by Mr. 

 Yarrell with original specimens of Ciliata glauca, obtained 

 from Mr. Couch, and from these the Strangford species differs 

 as follows. My specimens, under 11 lines in length, do not, 

 like the Cornwall fish — which is 1 inch 5 lines long — exhibit 

 cirri on either jaw. The ventral fins in mine are equal to £th 

 of the entire length, in the English specimen to about f th ; 

 in the latter the longest rays have a fibrous termination, (to 

 the extreme of which the length of the fin was estimated,) 

 whereas these fins are somewhat square at the end in the 

 Strangford specimens ; besides, they are in these of a pitchy 

 blackness for the last third of their length, although in the 

 other of a uniform pale colour throughout. These differences 

 were likewise constant in Cornwall and Strangford specimens 

 of similar length. 



On placing the authentic Ciliata glauca and a Motella quin- 

 quecirrata f of equal size together, the difference is very great ; 



* Although the number of rays in the fins cannot be given with certainty, 

 an approximation to it has been thought better than entire silence on the 

 subject. 



f One of the two individuals which, judging from their agreement with 

 the characters assigned to C. glauca, were noticed as such in the Annals for 

 September last (p. 14), at which time I had not seen authentic specimens. 

 In colour there certainly was a want of uniformity with the description ; 

 but it was considered that this might have been changed by the preserving 

 liquor. Compared with the figures of Couch and Yarrell, (chiefly owing to 

 their being uncoloured,) no obvious difference appeared. By the accompa- 

 nying coloured figures, though taken from specimens long preserved in spi- 

 rits, 1 have endeavoured to show this difference; in such small representa- 

 tions it is almost impossible to give more than the general aspect of the fish. 



