THE STRAIOHT-NOSKT) I'lPE-FISIf. 



47 



LOPHOBRANCHII. 



SYNGNATH1D£. 



THE STRAIGHT-NOSED PIPE-FISH. 



Syngnathns ophidion, Linnaeus Syst. Nat. t. i. p, 417, sp. 5. 

 ,, ,, ,, Faun. Suec. p. 131, sp. 1. 



It is only within a few years, I believe, that writers on 

 the Natural History of European Fishes have become aware 

 that in quoting, as was almost invariably the case, the figure 

 of the Syngnathus ophidion of Bloch, tab. 91, fig. 3, as the 

 true ophidion, they were not referring to, because that figure 

 docs not represent, the true Sj/ngnathus ophidion of Artedi 

 and Linnffius. The fish, as represented by Bloch, does not 

 exhibit any appearance of a caudal fin, but if the species 

 there figured from be examined, it will be found to possess a 

 rudimentary caudal fin,* and could not therefore be con- 

 sidered as referred to by Linnaeus in the short but expressive 

 description, S. pinnis cauda ani pectoralibusque nuUis, cor- 

 pore tercti. 



The first good figure of the true S. ophidion of Linnaeus 



* British Fishes, vol. ii. p. 339, vignette. 



