10 



SYNGNATHID.E. 



with pure opaque-white scattered dots or points, like spinules or incipient cilice. 

 The eyes are like some brilliant jewel set in mosaic. The iris, as in the Chamse- 

 leon, is most beautifully painted with alternate rays or tesselated bars of glittering 

 garnet-red and dazzling white on the inner edge next the pupil ; the circumference 

 being thickly studded with the brightest pure white dots, which to the eye re- 

 semble most distinctly raised granules or short cilice, like those which are sprink- 

 led on the snout and elsewhere. The pupil is black ; but reflects in rapidly suc- 

 ceeding variation, as it moves, most brilliant topaz, straw-coloiu*, or brassy tints^ in 

 different lights. 



The dorsal fin is like the rest pellucid, and pale olive ; reddish at the base, and 

 there speckled with white : it has a deep black patch in front, upon the two or 

 three first rays ; not reaching to their tip, but leaving a border, about one third of 

 the fin deep, which is traced out by a black or dusky line, continued backwards 

 to the end from the front spot, and stained in front with bright clear yellow. The 

 other fins are pellucid, nearly colourless, immaculate. 



The branched tufts or cilice, and even the surface of the body, were thickly 

 clothed with a short, brown, filamentous, down-like substance, which was, per- 

 haps, some parasitic Infusoria or Conferva. 



Placed in a basin of sea-water, the depth of which did not allow it to at- 

 tain a vertical position, it showed evident symptoms of uneasiness. It was 

 continually swinging its body slowly round, as if to seek support ; using 

 the tail merely as a vague unsteady sort of fulcrum, and making all the 

 time of each sweep a rapid fluttering or vibratory motion with the pectoral 

 and dorsal fins. Removed into sufficient depth of water in a tumbler, it 

 assumed at once a vertical position ; but appeared unable to maintain it, ex- 

 cept by slowly moving round continually, and quivering the fins ; sinking 

 down horizontally when not so occupied. A piece of stick being placed up- 

 right in the water, it instantly coiled the end of its tail round the lower 

 part, and appeared much relieved, remaining now quite motionless in an ob- 

 lique position, as if resting ; the fins remaining quiet, and collapsed. It 

 never left the stick, grasping it firmly and closely in a prehensile manner ; 

 and at times, but only occasionally, and without uncoiling the tail, it 

 swung itself slowly round as far as it could reach, making the same quick 

 fluttering motion with the fins as before, which set the branched filaments 

 about them also in motion, by the impulse of the little currents of the water 

 driven in a direction contrary to that in which the animal was at the mo- 

 ment moving. It breathed rather fast, but very regularly; the water 

 rushing out vertically in two very strong little jets at each closing of the 

 opercle, at the two branchial openings or spout-holes on the nape of the 

 neck. 



When deprived of anything to coil round, the tail, always remaining 

 curled, was waved or twisted about vaguely, as if in search of something to 

 grasp, rather than to assist in progression ; its motion being far too slow 

 and feeble for the latter purpose. The head appeared incapable of any 



