1868.] 209 [Brown. 



The only indigenous fresh watc\\fisJi of Madeii-a is an eel, of wliich 

 several species or varieties are found in the streams, up to five hun- 

 dred feet above the level of the sea. Mr. Lowe, who has given much 

 attention to the ichthyology of Madeira, has enumerated about one 

 hundred and eighty-six species of the marine fishes. He thus speaks 

 of them in one of his papers : — 



" The European visitor, on entering the markets, or examining the 

 boats, is struck at once with the almost total absence of the flat fishes, 

 Sahnonidce and cod fish tribe, which more especially characterize our 

 stalls in England, and with the unwonted forms of the Sargus, Pa- 

 grus, Pagellus, Box, Oblada, Stnaris, Thynnus, Prometheus, LicJda, 

 etc.; or with the brilliant hues of the Seiratins, Beryx, Scarus, etc.; 

 or the grotesque, deformed Scorpcena and Sebasfes. The impression 

 will be somewhat different at difTcrent seasons. The spring is char- 

 acterized by the commoner appearance of the sjalendid colored Beryx 

 in the streets, attracting notice no less by its form and hues of silver, 

 scarlet, rose and purjjle, than by the extraordinary size and opaline, 

 or rather brassy lustre of its enormous eyes. With this, or even 

 earlier, appears abundantly the common herring of Madeira (Clupea 

 maderensis); and, as the season advances, the mackerel (Scomber 

 scombeus L.) ; the scarlet Peixecao, or dog fish of Madeira, (Crenlla- 

 hrus caninux) ; carneiro or mutton fish (Scorpcena scrufa L.) and 

 Requieme (Sebastes KuhUi); the pike-like Bicuda or Spet of the 

 Mediterranean ( Sphyrcena vulgaris) ; the Sargo {Sargus Rondelet'd 

 Cuv. and Val.) Avith teeth resembling the human; and the plain col- 

 ored Dobrada (Oblada jnelanura Cuv.). The herring and the Alfon- 

 sin (Beryx splendens) attain the climax of their season about March 

 or April; the mackerel in May and June; but the whole, except the 

 herring, continue throughout most part of the summer and autumn. 

 In May the magnificent Lampris /aw^'a, the beauty of which in the 

 water excites the admiration even of the fisherman, begins to make its 

 occasional appearance in the market; and, what is of far more im- 

 portance in an economical point of view, the tunny fishery begins. 

 This last is at its greatest height in June or July; and to it succeeds- 

 the capture of the Gaiado (Thynnus Pelamys L.), which is pursuerl 

 with such success that I have sometimes watched a single boat, fin*- 

 nishcd v/ith scarce half a dozen rods, pulling them at the rate of four or 

 five a minute. With the Gaiado appears, in almost equal plenty, the 

 Ccelho or rabbit-fish ('P/-o?He//;eus' a//nn;/cu.'*J ; and these continue till 

 the close of summer by the equinoctial rains of October. The winter 



rnoCEEDINGS B. S. IS'. H.— VOL. SH. 14 JANUARY, 1869. 



