SKETCHES OP BRITISH ICHTHYOLOGY. 



test of dissection. It, moreover, appears probable that this pouch 

 serves afterwards as a refuge to the young fry on the approach of 

 danger : for Mr. Yarrell has been assured, by fishermen, that " if 

 the young were shaken out of the pouch into the water, over the 

 side of the boat, they did not swim away, but when the parent fish 

 was held in the water, in a favourable position, the young would 

 again enter the pouch." And below the figure of S. acus, copied 

 by Willughby from Rondeletius, the young are represented swim- 

 ming near the abdomen of the parent fish. Risso has, moreover, 

 noticed the great attachment of the adult Pipe-fish to its young. 



The abdominal pouch exists, also, in the male of S. typhlej and 

 of Hippocampus hrevirostris ; and probably performs the same sin- 

 gular office as in S, acus : for identity of structure commonly im- 

 plies identity of function. The anal fin, which characterizes the 

 female of Hippocampus, is supposed, by Mr. Yarrell, to be connect- 

 ed with the transfer of the ova to the pouch of the male. 



Secojidly. The males of the three species of the second sub-genus 

 of Syjignathus, exhibit, it will be recollected, instead of a pouch, 

 several hemispherical depressions on the surface of the abdomen, 

 anteriorly to the vent. Into these depressions, the ova of the fe- 

 male are received. Pennant, betrayed into the same error as Cuvier, 

 has delineated a male of S. lumbriciformis with the ova adherent to 

 the belly ; and described it as a female. See British Zoology, vol. 

 iii., pi. 26, No. 62, p. 187. 



With the view of rendering as perfect as my limits will allow, 

 this brief history of the Syngnathidce, I shall cursorily notice two 

 other genera of fishes, belonging to Lophobranchii. All the known 

 species, which they include, inhabit the Indian ocean. 1. The ge- 

 nus, Fistularia, differs principally from Syngnathus in the possession 

 of very large ventral fins situated behind the pectoral, and united with 

 them and the trunk, so as to form a kind of apron, which (probably 

 existing only in the male) serves, like the pouch of other of the Syng- 

 nathidce, for the retention of the ova. There is, also, a dorsal fin, of 

 few rays, but elevated figure, and situated near the back of the 

 neck ; a second small one on the root of the tail ; and a large point- 

 ed caudal fin. In other respects, it closely resembles Hippocampus. 

 The only species yet known, is F. paradoxa. The fishes of the 

 other genus, Pegasus, have a projecting muzzle, composed of the 

 same pieces as the preceding ; but the mouth, instead of opening at 

 the extremity, is situated below the base ; and resembles, in its pro- 

 tractility, that of the Sturgeon. The body is protected, like that of 

 the other Syngnathidce : but the trunk is broad and depressed ; the 



