The Jrgentine.-] OF ORKNEY. 225 



GENUS XXII.— THE ARGENTINE. 



Gen. Char. — Teeth in the jaws and tongue ; eight branchiostegous rays ; 

 vent near the tail ; the ventral fins composed of many rays. 



Species 1. — The Argentine. 



Pisciculus Romae Argenthia dictiis, Wil. Icth.Q.Q.9- HaiiSyn. Pise. 108. Ar- 

 gentina Sphyrsena, Lin. Sys.5l8. Brit. Zool. ^76. Brit. Zool. Illus. 4Q, 

 tab. 48. 



This beautiful little fish was given me by a boy, who said 

 he found it in the edge of the water, among the sea-ware. 



It was not above an inch in length; seemed very delicate; 

 the colours good ; the back greenish, spotted with darker 

 clouds ; the belly a fine silver ; but it lost all its fine colours 

 when kept dry. 



All the fins were soft ; and the tail membrane, as well as 

 those of the other fins, was very thin. 



I suppose these are scarce on our coasts, as I never saw but 

 this one. 



Ff 



