GEN. RANICEP3. TADPOLE FISH. 217 



minate near the tail, which is small ; ventrals small, 

 \he two anterior rays long and detached from the 

 rest : chin with a barbule. 



(Sp. 167.) Ji' tri/urcatus. Tadpole Fish. This 

 fish was first noticed by Pennant, and several suc- 

 ceeding naturalists were of opinion that his descrip- 

 tion was taken from a damaged skin of the Forked 

 Hake. Other specimens, however, were obtained, 

 and a correct account, with a figure, was inserted 

 by Mr. Hugh Davies in the edition of Pennant's 

 British Zoology, published in 1812. It has since 

 been found on the coasts of Cornwall, Northumber- 

 land, Berwick, the west of Scotland, and in the 

 Firth of Forth ; also in Ireland, off Donaghadee 

 harbour. It is a fish of very singular aspect, and 

 its appearance is well expressed by the English 

 name, the resemblance being still further increased 

 by the colour, which is either very dark brown or 

 black. The length varies from eight inches to a 

 foot. Its greatest circumference is just before the 

 pectoral fin, and from that point it tapers rapidly 

 to the tail. The head is very broad and depressed, 

 the gape of the mouth wide, the lips prominent, 

 rounded, and white; the teeth sharp, in two rows 

 on the under jaw, those on the upper jaw more nu- 

 merous but not arranged in rows. Rather a singular 

 character in this fish, consists of a series of small 

 rounded tubercles placed over the pectoral fin near 

 the commencement of the lateral line. When the 

 fish is alive or recently dead, these are often scarcely 

 or not at all perceptible ; but as the skin dries and 

 becomes more tense, they acquire sufficient promi- 



