296 SALT-WATER FISHES 



dredged in our seas, and that was in a depth of over 500 

 fathoms, north of Shetland. It is allied to the scopeloids, also 

 deep-sea forms. 



Maurolicus pennantit, known as the Pearlsides, is an allied 

 form, having the anterior half of the body deep and square. 

 It has been taken somewhat often, generally in our more 

 northern waters. The latest recorded example was taken at 

 Yarmouth by Mr. Patterson, who found it in " some freshly 

 thrown seaweed left by a draw-netter on the beach near the 

 harbour mouth."* 



The Murry [Mur.ena helena), a near relative ot the conger, 

 is only a rare wanderer to our seas from the Mediterranean. 

 It differs from the conger in its mottled colouration, as well as 

 in the tront tubular nostrils and narrow gill-openings. It re- 

 sembles It, however, in the absence of scales. The skin is deep 

 brown, with yellow spots, giving a very snakelike impression. 



Only three have been recorded in British seas, all on our 

 south-west coast. Of these Day mentions two, caught re- 

 spectively at Fowey and Polperro ; and Holt records the third 

 (March, 1897) as trawled off the Eddystone. It measured 

 nearly 45 in., and had a circular wound on the tail, which had 

 from all appearance been made by the teeth of some dog-fish. 



The five fishes that complete the British list all belong to 

 the order Plectognathi^ a name which has reference to their 

 twisted mouth. 



They are divided in two families, the first [Gymnodontes) 

 represented in our seas by the two sun-fishes and the globe-fish, 

 the second {ScUrodermi) by the file-fish and a closely related 

 form. All are more or less circular in shape and have a rough 

 skin. 



* See The Zoologist, December, 1897. 



