1. CENTRISCUS. 519 



Centi-iscus scolopax, L. Si/.st. Nat. i. p. 415 ; Bri'inn. Pise. Mass. p. 8 ; 



BI. i. p. 55. taf. 123. %. 1 ; Bl. Schn. p. 112 ; Lucep. ii. pp. 80, 95, 



i. pi. 19. tig. 3 ; Donor. Brit. Fishes, iii. pi. 03 ; Turtoii, Brit. Faun. 



p. 117 ; Shaw, Nat. 3Iisc. xiv. pi. 581, aud Zool. v. p. 409. pi. 181 ; 



Flcm. Brit. Anim. p. 220 ; Cur. Regne Anim. ; Jenyns, Man. p. 400; 



Yarr. Brit. Fishes, i. p. 302, 2nd edit. i. p. 340, 3rd edit. ii. p. 190 ; 



Guerin, leonof/r. Poiss. pi. 45. tig. 2 ; Martens, Beise nach Veneclig, ii. 



p. 436 ; Gronoc. Sgst. ed. Gray, p. 138. 

 Solenostonms, uo. 1, Klein, Mias. Pise. iv. p. 24. 

 Silurus coriiutus, Forsk. p. 06. 

 Centriscus, sp., Gronor. Zoojihi/l. no. 395. 

 Macrorhampliosus corautus, Laeep. v. pp. 130, 137. 

 Snipe-nosed Trumpet-fisli, Penn. Brit. Zool. edit. 1812, iii. p. 190. 

 Solenostomus scolopax, Bisso, Ichth. Nice. p. 80. 

 Skeleton: Rosenthal, lehthi/ot. Taf. tab. 10. Hgs. 11, 12; (incorrect: 



copied by Yarrell). 



B. 4. D. 5 I 12. A. 20. P. 16. V. o. C. 6 + 4 + 5 + 7. 

 Vert. 8/16. 



The height of the body i.s contained once and three-fourths to twice 

 and one-tliird in the distance of tlie operculnm from the base of the 

 caudal. The second dorsal spine is very strong, and serrated jjos- 

 teriorly, its length being contained once and two-thirds to twice and 

 two-thirds in the distance of the opcrcle from the caudal. 



This species appears to be peculiar to the ^Mediterranean and to 

 the neighbouring parts of the Atlantic ; it extends northwards to the 

 south coast of England. 



a-b. Fine specimens. Adriatic. 



c. Adult. 



d-g. Adult: had state. From the Haslar Collection. 



h-^n. Young. From the Haslar Collection. 



0, p, q, r. Adult and half-grown : stuffed. 



Description. — The length of the head equals its distance from tlie 

 caudal fin ; it is produced into a long compressed tube, terminating 

 in a very small mouth ; it is rather elevated posteriorly, and strongly 

 compressed like the body. The cleft of the mouth is slightlj' ob- 

 Hque, with the extreirdty of the lower jaw somewhat prominent. 

 The jaw-bones are very short, the intermaxillaiy feeble and styli- 

 form, the maxillaiy broad and triangular. There are no teeth 

 whatever. 



The eye is large, equal in width to tlie extent of the part of the 

 head behind it ; the skin of the head passes over it as in all fishes, 

 and that part which covers the posterior half of the iris is provided 

 with small ctenoid scales ; the margins of the orbit are minutely 

 crenulated ; the interorbital space is smooth, slightly convex, and 

 equal in width to one-half of the diameter of the eye. The nostrils 

 are close together, situated one before the other, on the side of the 

 head, at a smaU cUstance from the orbit. The ])raeoperculum has 

 the posterior margin obliquely descending forward, partly confluent 

 with the orbit, and minutely denticulated ; its angle is somewhat 

 produced backwards ; the whole space between prtcoperculum, orbit 



