HABITS OF MAIGRE. 135 



are Scicena aquila and Scicena umhra. Probably the 

 former^ word is derived from skia, a ghost or shadow, an 

 idea which its second name, umhra, seems to confirm ; 

 but why this should be I cannot understand. It is also 

 called the Ovls marina, or Sea-sheep. 



I now give my notes of the colouring of this fish from 

 a specimen examined at Mr. Grove's, in Bond Street : 

 colour of the body generally of a rich bronzed yellow, 

 vrith tints of gold ; light green in front of first dorsal 



MAI GEE. 



fin, and part of the head ; also over the eye light tints 

 of gold, verging into silver on the cheeks ; first dorsal 

 fin, pink-red, pectoral, purple ; second dorsal, pink ; 

 purple ventrals ; and anal a neutral tint ; caudal, dark, 

 vdth red tint. 



In the head are found (so the old authors say) two 

 stones of great medicinal virtue as a cure for colic. It 

 is said to live among rocks covered with weeds, a kind 

 of sea-wolf in a submarine forest. Its shape and swim- 

 ming tail would adapt it to swim with grace and ease 

 in and out of the gigantic sea-weeds. Its body is 

 formed on very graceful lines, like those of fast ocean 

 steamers. 



In August, 1867, a fine specimen of the Sciana aquila 

 was taken at Hastings, measuring 3 feet.* In Sep- 



* See Land and Water, vol. vi. p. 121, 



