394 Dr. A. Giinther on the History of Echeneis. 



indicated in others. Lowe says that it is found in specimens 

 with nineteen laminae in the sucker ; those four in which I have 

 found the larger portion of the tongue rough have seventeen 

 and eighteen laminae, and are, in other respects, entirely con- 

 gruent with true smooth-tongued specimens of E. remora. 



Dr. Bleeker* says that he had never seen the E. remora of the 

 European ichthyologists. Unfortunately he used YarrelPs de- 

 scription for determining the species ; but if he had had more 

 opportunity of examining the descriptions of that naturalist, he 

 Would have seen that they are more of a popular character than 

 specimens of scientific originality. Thus it happened that Dr. 

 Bleeker examined the true E. remora, but described it as a dif- 

 ferent species (E. remoroides) , deceived by some discrepancies 

 which exist in his and YarrelFs descriptions, but not in nature. 

 Yarrell, for instance, says that there are " two bands of minute 

 teeth in the lower jaw, and a single band in the upper," whilst, 

 in fact, both jaws are armed with a single band, that of the 

 upper jaw being, however, narrower than the other. Now 

 Yarrell frequently confounds a series of teeth with a band of 

 teeth; and it is to be supposed that in the present case he 

 intended to say that the teeth in the lower jaw form two series, 

 and those in the upper a single one. Although even this is 

 incorrect, the arrangement of the teeth may appear so to a 

 superficial observer. This error has not been corrected in the 

 third edition of Yarrell' s work. 



Finally, A. Murray separates a specimen with seventeen la- 

 minse (a variation known long before) as a distinct species E. 

 tropica (Edinb. New Philos. Journ. 1856, iv. p. 287) ; the name 

 itself has been preoccupied by Euphrasen for a different species. 

 Murray also distinguishes between the action of the lining 

 membrane of the sucker and that of the toothed lamellae : ' ' The 

 sucker is quite sufficient for the mere purposes of adhesion, and 

 may be probably used without the teeth or plates, when the 

 Remora fixes itself upon rocks or stationary objects ; but the 

 plates and teeth are required to enable it to fix itself upon bodies 

 in rapid motion." I infer, from the whole structure of the 

 sucker, that such a separate action is not probable ; the teeth, 

 indeed, would be useless in an attempt of the Sucking-fish to 

 attach itself to a "rock" ; but there is no evidence of any one 

 ever having seen the fish doing this. 



I conclude this historical account of our first species with 

 some remarks made by Bennett f, who had ample opportuni- 

 ties of observing the fish in nature, and who indicates what I 

 think is the most natural cause of the firm adhesion of the 



* Natuurk. Tydschr. Nederl. Ind. 1855, vi. p. 70. 



t F. D. Bennett, Narrative of a Whaling Voyage, p. 2/1. 



