1 98 DUBLIN NATUBAL HI8T0EY SOCIETY. 



position of the genus. At present it is placed among the Gadi, but pro- 

 bably Dr. Pamell's suggestion that it belongs to a separate family is 

 correct, as, although it possesses ajOBmiities to the Hake's dame (which fish 

 has also occurred off the Dublin coast), yet, at the same time, it is very 

 distinct from that genus. In many of its external characters it presents 

 analogies with the Fishing- frog ; but the nature of its fins will not allow it 

 to be placed even in the same subdivision as that fish. Its habits, as far as 

 I could observe them, are very curious. The ventral fins, which are far 

 in advance of the pectorals, are furnished with two long and somewhat 

 stiff rays, which project considerably : these are capable of motion in- 

 dependently of each other and the other rays of the fin, and by means 

 of them the animal progresses along the bottom of the tank in which it 

 is kept. The pectorals, which are large and rounded, possess great mo- 

 bility at the wrist-joint, the animal rotating them at times nearly com- 

 pletely round. The anterior dorsal fin, concerning which there is some 

 discrepancy in the descriptions, is correctly represented in Dr. Pamell's 

 plate. The barbule under the chiu appears to be under the control of 

 the will of the animal, as Dr. Corrigan informs me that at times it is 

 scarcely visible, at other times it is appreciable enough. The caudal fin 

 is damaged in the Dalkey specimen, but appears to have been rounded. 

 The fish is remarkably slimy to the touch, neither scales nor lateral 

 tubercles being appreciable either to touch or sight. The true nature 

 of the anterior dorsal fin is difficult to make out ; but I could not find 

 any trace of the groove said to exist for its reception. The head is re- 

 markably depressed, the eyes prominent on the top of the head, and of 

 a yellow colour; the general colour of the fish is a deep pui^lish black, 

 of a very peculiar shade. Since it has been in confinement it feeds gree- 

 dily on the insides of crabs, &c. It is, when it likes, a very active fish, 

 and, on account of its slippery coating, difficult of capture by the hand. 

 These observations are all drawn up from the living fish, and a fear of 

 injuring the specimen prevented my examining some points as closely 

 as I coidd wish. Its occurrence in Dalkey Sound is highly interesting. 

 I have before had occasion to call the attention of the Society to the 

 occurrence there of many deep-water species of Crustacea, and have little 

 doubt that, to an attentive observer, many other rare species wHl occur 

 within this strait. 



The President considered the notice of the occurrence of the Tadpole- 

 fish one of great interest. The only specimen he had ever seen was 

 captured on a spilliard line in Dingle Bay, in thirty fathoms water. He 

 quite agreed with Professor Kinahan's remarks concerning the fish, 

 which was a deep-sea species, and a ground feeder. When received, the 

 Dingle specimen was a deep violet colour, which after death turned to 

 an intense black. This specimen might be seen at the Royal Dublin 

 Society House. The mode of feeding in this fish and the Fishing-frog 

 being the same, it was easy to account for the similarity in appearance 

 between the two. The Society ought to be much obliged to Dr. Corrigan 

 for the notice of this rare fish. 



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