18 



Description of a new British Fish, 



rior lateral, thirty ; inferior lateral and abdominal, each 

 twenty-three : the small number of the latter is owing to the 

 three pectoral scales, where the fins play, being much en- 

 larged ; they are, also, free from points, and united with the 

 abdominal plates, three of which, of different dimensions, 

 extend on each side from the neck to the vent. 



The formula for the fin rays will be as follows : — Dorsal, 

 twenty-six ; the first twelve or fourteen extending much 

 beyond the others. Pectoral, eight, 2 in. long, with only two 

 free rays below it. Ventral, six, ljin. long. Anal, sixteen. 

 Caudal, fourteen, Ijin. long, slightly forked. The chief 

 flexible points appear to be at the neck and the junctions of 



the gill-plates : the motion of the other parts of the body is 

 much impeded by the firmness of the imbrications with which 

 the whole of the fish is surrounded. Its colour, when fresh, was 

 of a uniform scarlet, like the red gurnard, gradually softening 

 to pale flesh-colour towards the abdomen ; the anal and dorsal 

 fins were crimson ; but the others pale and greyish. The 

 Peristedion coloured in the Naturalist's Miscellany is from 

 a dried specimen. 



This is, probably, a young fish, as it is said to be found, 



