742 Retrospective Criticism. 



former communication, but which your draughtsman must 

 l^ve overlooked. [For the description see p. 18.] 

 1 P. 313. fig. 65. Pellucid Ophidium. A remarkable mistake 

 has been made in the fins : the anal fin should have begun at 

 about the middle of the length, and nearer the tail than the 

 commencement of the dorsal fin. The body is much wider 

 (deeper) at the vent than farther forward, and its termination 

 at the tail much sharper than represented in the figure. From 

 Wm. Yarrell, Esq., I learn that the fish here described and 

 figured is the Lepidopus peliuciduS of Risso {Ichth. of Nice) ; 

 but Lepidopus, or scale-foot, cannot be an appropriate name, 

 as it has no free scale in place of a ventral fin. I entertain 

 no doubt of its being the Leptocephalus MorriszVof Fleming 

 {Hist, of British Animals^ p. 200.); but it is sufficiently distin- 

 guished from the genus Leptocephalus by the presence of a 

 pectoral fin ; which Pennant expressly affirms (both in his text 

 and figure) to have been absent in his specimen. As a species 

 also (even admitting the genus), it is sufficiently distinguished 

 by the dorsal fin, which, in Pennant's fish, reached from close 

 on the head to the tail ; and failed at the latter part, not encom- 

 passing the extremity. I am the more desirous of preserving 

 the genus Leptocephalus distinct from all mistake or inter- 

 polation, as I possess a specimen (with a description and 

 figure) of a species of Pennant's genus Leptocephalus (dis- 

 tinguished particularly by the want of pectoral fins) that is 

 hitherto unknown to naturalists. The generic character of 

 this rare genus must be preserved for the reception of at 

 least two British species : — " Leptocephalus : Head small, 

 narrow ; body thin, compressed, no pectoral fins." 



While on the subject of errors, I beg to show my respect 

 to Dr. Fleming by pointing out some mistakes into which he 

 has fallen in his account of the Linnaean genus Zabrus, now 

 divided into the genus Crenilabrus and iabrus. 



C. Tinea Flem., common wrass, Labrus Tinea Lin.^ Ja- 

 go's fish ; the goldsinny is made the same with this ; whereas 

 they differ in size, shape, colours, and habits, as I have innu- 



