15. HippocAMPirs. li/D 



great distances. Consequently some species arc spread over different 

 parts of the globe, like Antennarius, a genus the geographical distri- 

 bution of which nearly coincides with that of Hippocampus. 



The species are difficult to distinguish, on account of the great 

 amount of variation to which the development of the tubercles, shape 

 of shields, and length of snout are subject. The number of dorsal 

 raj^s appears to be very constant. 



1. Hippocampus abdominalis. 



Lesson, in Ferussac, Hull. Sc. Nat. xi. 1827, p. 127 ; Kaup, Lophobr. 

 p. 17 5 Bleek. Verh. Ak. Wet. Amsterd. li. Van Diemen's Land, 

 p. 28. 



Dorsal fin with from twenty-eight to thirty-one rays. Tubercles 

 not much developed and very obtuse ; those on the head sometimes 

 with simple filaments. Length of the snout rather more than, or 

 equal to, the distance between the posterior margin of the orbit and 

 the gill-opening in adult examples, but shorter in younger indivi- 

 duals. Body generally with large round brown spots, more or less 

 confluent into bands on the hinder part of the tail ; head with much 

 smaller round brown spots, of which those round the orbit are the 

 most constant. Sometimes uniform blackish brown. 



Two examples in the collection have been curiously painted by a 

 collector, viz. tail and snout black, the remainder yellow. This is 

 perhaps another variation of colour. 



Seas of Australia and New Zealand. 



a. Several adult (13 inches long) and half-grown specimens. Aus- 

 tralia. 



h-d. Adult and half-grown. Port Arthur. From the Haslar 

 Collection. 



e-f. Half-grown. Sydney. Presented by Sir J. Richardson. 



y. Adult (11 inches long). Tasmania. Purchased. 



h-k. Adult (13 inches long) and half-grown : dried. Tasmania. 

 Presented by Dr. Milligan. 



I. Many half-grown specimens. George ToAvn. Presented by R. 

 Guun, Esq. 



m-p). Adult and half-grown. Mouth of the Tamar. Presented by 

 Sir W. Hooker. 



q-s. Adidt : dried. New Zealand. 



t. Half-grown. New Zealand. Presented by Captain Stokes. 



u, v-w. Half-grown. Bay of Islands. 



2. Hippocampus autiquorum. 



Sea-horse, Short-snouted Hippocampus. 

 'iTTuoKafiiTOi, Julian, lib. 14. cap. 14. 

 Hippocampus, Rondel. De Pise. ii. p. 1 14. 

 Oheval marin, Bellon. De Aquat. p. 444. 



Hippocampus rondeletii, Willui/khij, Hist. I'isc. p. \ol , Lab. 1 25. 

 fig. 3. 



