278 LOPHOBRANCHII. PIPE-FISHES. 



of the season, they would sometimes inclose five 

 times that number ; which being of no service, are 

 invariably returned again to the sea."* 



Gen. XCYIII. Acestra. — The most conspi- 

 cuous differences between this group and the pre- 

 ceding have already been alluded to. They consist 

 of the entire absence, in Acestra, of pectoral, ventral, 

 anal, and caudal fin<!, the dorsal alone being present, 

 but that is always conspicuous. Neither is there 

 any abdominal sac, although provision is made for 

 the performance of a function analogous to what is 

 executed by the former. The species are much 

 more slender and vermiform than the Sygnathi, and 

 if a distinction of Endish names were thouoht de- 

 sirable, they might with propriety be termed Needle- 

 fish, an appellation which has occasionally been 

 given to the w^hole family. 



(Sp. 205.) A. oequorea. Equoreal Pipe or Needle- 

 fish. "We believe that the first notice of this fish as 

 British occurs in Sir Robert Sibbald's Scotia Illus- 

 trata, and that his specimen was found in the Firth 

 of Forth, although it has not been taken in that lo- 

 cality since. The Berwickshire, Northumberland, 

 and Devonshire coasts have affbrded examples, as 

 well as one or two other places, but it seems to be 

 very rare. The Cornish fishermen report that they 

 have seen it far out at sea, swimming at the surface 

 over a depth of upw'ards of fifty fathoms. 



(Sp. 206.) A. anguinea. Snake Pipe or Needle- 

 fish. This singular looking fish scarcely exceeds 

 * Fishes of the Firth of Forth, p. 398. 



