;<!" TRACHYPTEKID.E. 



The iibove characters have been taken from the ehihorate account 

 given by Hancock ; he has also examined the internal parts of the 

 female spcr-imen which came under his observation, and found a very 

 remarkable fonn of the stomach. This organ is prolonged into an 

 exceedingly long ca^cal portion, which, like the air-bladder of the 

 LabyrintJiici, Ophwcei^haJklce, and of many Carangoid fishes, extends 

 far backwards between the muscles of the tail, ending at a short 

 distance from the caudal end of the fish. 



Dr. Gray has traced the history of the British specimens, with their 

 synonymy, to the earhest notices ; but whilst he has proved beyond 

 a doubt that the existence of a Eibbon-fisli with biradiatc ventrals 

 rests only on the fancy of some artist, I should not think myself 

 justified in doubting the statements of such trustworthy authors as 

 Ascanius and Briinnich, who give the numbers of the dorsal spines as 

 so different from those of R. hmiksii, that the fishes examined by 

 them are certainly not identical with the latter. 



Whether the Indian fish named by Bloch G. haivTcenii is entirely 

 the production of imperfect notices and figiires sent to him from 

 England, or whether a similar species (but not with biradiate ven- 

 trals) occm-s in the East Indies (Goa) and still remains to be recog- 

 nized, is a question which camiot at present be decided. 



Regalecus hanksii has been foiind only on the English shores, 

 although it has probably a wider range. The following specimens 

 appear to belong to this species : — 



Size. 

 Date. Locality. feet. 



a. Jan. 22, 1759 Whitby Hi 



•/';.*Feb. 23, 1788 Newlyn 8i-8f 



Feb. 1791 Newlyn 8| 



1796 {Russell) . Cornwall. 



Feb. 1798 Cornwall . 8| 



c. Mar. 27, 1794 Newcastle 10 



d. Mar. 18, 1796 {Banhs) . Filey 13 



e. 1800 Fern Islands '. . 18 



/. 1800 Fern Islands 14 



g. Mar. 1844 Crovie near Macduff 12 



h. ■?1845 Yorkshii-e ?24 



;. Mar. 26, 1849 (Hancock) CuUercoats (Northumberland) 12i 



I: 1850 Redcar .. 12 



I Sept. 17, 1852 Cromarty. 



4. Regalecus glesne. 



The Sild-Kung (King of the Herrings). 



Ophidium glesne, Ascan. Nye Saml. Vid. Selsk. Skrivt. iii. p. 419. 



~ lecus glesne, Ascan. Ic. ii. tab. 11 ; Lacep. ii. pp. 214, 215. 



* Dr. Gray has shown that these diiferent statements refer to one and the same 

 specimen, the dates having been altered in copying or misprinting. The differ- 

 ences in size can be easily accounted for : the tail of the specimen being mutilated, 

 several of the writers were desirous to give the length restored. 



