202 

 SCABBARD FISH. 



(Lepidopus tetradens, argyreiis, or caudatus). 



The Scabbard Fish is a large fish. A specimen pre- 

 served in the museum at Penzance, caught twelve 

 miles from land, measured 5 feet 4 inches. The colour 

 above was greenish, with a tint of blue ; but it is pro- 

 bably also iridescent when first caught. It is called 

 the scabbard fish fi*om its sword-like form and fom* 

 elongated teeth in front. 



I have a very fine specimen (dried) in my museum, 

 also a cast length 4 feet 1 inch, and 2;^ at the widest 

 part. Teeth in lower jaw lancet shaped, and very 

 pointed; four teeth in anterior portion of upper jaw, 

 each barbed at the end like a fish-hook. It was pre- 

 sented to me with a number of other Mediterranean fishes 

 by Mr. Stacey Watson, of Great Yarmouth. See Land 

 and Water, Sept. 6, 1879. 



ROCKLINGS. 



There are three species of Eockling (genus Motella). 

 The Three-bearded, sometimes called Whistle-fish, bears 

 some resemblance, in its bearded mouth and general 

 appearance, to the common loach, or beardie, and is 

 therefore sometimes called Sea-loach ; but it is much 

 larger, averaging from a foot to eighteen inches in 

 length. The colour is a rich yellowish brown, marked 

 with large dark spots. It keeps in shallow waters, 

 frequenting rocky ground, well furnished with seaweed, 

 among which it threads its way with great ease and 

 rapidity. It will take a bait, but is rarely eaten. 

 " It is not easy to explain the use of the fringed mem- 



