Zoofojy.] 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. 



[^Fishes. 



of this generalization had erroneously suggested differences in 

 species which were only due to age. This can be noted as varying 

 thus from the smallest (the figured) specimen, marked E, to the 

 largest, marked A. Also, I think, the depth of a fish varies so 

 much by the different conditions of the abdomen from food, ova, 

 &c., as to be an untrustworthy character. On similarly reducing 

 the proportion of Cuvier's and Couch's original figures from fresh 

 specimens, they are found to agree closely in most particulars of 

 importance. 



The sides and belly in our specimens are uniform silvei'y and 

 pearly white, without the mottling or spotting mentioned by Cuvier ; 

 and in this respect they agree with the descriptions taken from the 

 life by Storer and Couch of American and English examples noted 

 by them. 



There is a small longitudinal keel on the tail above, and one 

 below the larger keel, which smaller ones are only visible when 



[23] 



