38 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



singul\r circumstances. One of the fishing boats off Ventry, in the Bay of Dingle, 

 picked up what appeared to be an American meal barrel, that had been for some 

 time floating. It was partly filled with water, and when taken into the boat 

 the fish was floundering in the barrel, and supposed to have been washed in by the 

 sea, as it is likely at the time that numbers of the fish were swimming around the 

 barrel. It is a deep-water fish, frequenting and feeding on rocky and corally 

 ground. Mr. Moriarty forwarded the fish to me, and I at once saw that it was the 

 Polvprion cernium of Cuv. and Valenc. Its history and description is so well 

 given in Yarrell's supplement to British fishes, and in Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poiss., 

 that I shall only here add an outline of the specimen before you. Its weight, 

 when taken, 10 Ibs. ; length from tip of lower jaw to the base of the caudal fin, 

 22 inches ; entire length to termination of tail, 2 feet 1| inches ; caudal and ventral 

 rays lasciated ; nostrils double ; irides dull, silvery white, upper part of circle tinged 

 with a dusky shade ; fin rays 



D. spinous 10. 11, soft H, P. 16, V. 6, A. 10, C. 21 ; 



back, dark ash colour, shaded with umber ; belly, dirty white ; lower jaw pro- 

 jected beyond the upper; teeth, numerous and blunt, and with numerous teeth 

 covering the palate ; a prominent ridge on the operculum, terminating in a short 

 spine ; preoperculum, toothed ; upper part of orbits ridged, and with pectinated or 

 denticulated elevations from each orbit, directed toward a short, prominent ridge on 

 the nape; head covered with rough, strong scales; the spines of the first dorsal fin 

 very strong. In the Mediterranean this fish attains a large size, and its flesh is es- 

 teemed, being white and tender and of excellent flavour. I trust that I have thus 

 drawn attention to the interest that the Ichthyology of our coasts may present, for I 

 am satisfied, that upon more careful investigation, other species that have been re- 

 corded, as occurring upon the coast of Cornwall, and also Mediterranean species, will 

 yet be traced on the southern and western coasts of this country. In continuation 

 of the arrangement in the British fishes of the Percida?, are the great and the lesser 

 Weevers, or sting-fish (Trachinus draco, and T. vipera), both of which I have before 

 noticed, as frequenting Dingle and Ventry harbours ; and I feel assured that that 

 beautiful Mediterranean species, the radiated Weever (Trachinus radiata), and found 

 on the southern shores of France, will on our south-west coast be recorded in the 

 fauna. 



A discussion arose with regard to some instances that had been noticed of vessels 

 at sea having met these fish in numbers, following wreck timber, and of their having 

 been taken by jigging, with a hook attached to a pole. They were found excellent 

 food for the crew. 



Mr. Sanders said that he had often considered that a knowledge of natural history 

 was but little attended to by officers of the navy, as well as our mercantile navy, 

 where they had such opportunities of forming valuable records, and of extending so 

 much the sphere of scientific information. 



The Chairman thought that the thanks of the Society were due to Mr. Andrews 

 for his paper, and for the interesting addition he had described and recorded to the 

 Ichthyology of the country. It must be gratifying to the Society to find, that at 

 each meeting some new record to the fauna had been brought forward. 



The ballot having taken place, Joseph Farran Darley, Esq., of Upper Leeson- 

 street, was elected a member, and Thomas Chandlee, Esq., of Waterford, a corres- 

 ponding member. 



The meeting was then adjourned to the month of March. 



DUBLIN UNIVERSITY ZOOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. 



JANUARY 6, 1855. 

 R. BALL, LL.D., President, in the Chair. 



A. H. Haliday, Esq., A.M., J.P., &c., was elected an honorary member. 

 The President gave a demonstration of the family Alcedinidse, being in continu- 

 ation of the series illustrative of the collection in the University Museum, 



