90 NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



1897. Two females were trawled in the "Silver Pit" in Gerrans 

 Bay, Falmoutli, on the 8th July, 1897. The latter were both full 

 of spawn, but the ova which were exuded on pressure from one of 

 them proved to be not quite ripe. At least three examples have 

 previously been taken by the Laboratory boats in the neighbourhood 

 of Plymouth, and there can be no doubt that the species is a regular, if 

 somewhat rare, member of the local fauna. One of the specimens, a 

 female, came on board in an unusually perfect condition, and I was 

 able to note that the dark markings on the ocular side exhibited 

 the purplish metallic tinge best described (as by Valenciennes in 

 Pomatomus) as gorge de 2^igeoji. Another feature of interest is the 

 excessive development of the membrane of the elongated second 

 dorsal ray in one of the females. This feature is not without im- 

 portance in a due appreciation of the secondary sexual character, 

 and I hope soon to have an opportunity of discussing it at greater 

 length.— E. W. L. H. 



Callionymus maculatus. Bonaparte. This dragonet must in future 

 be included in the English fish-fauna, since a fully differentiated 

 male was trawled in Falmouth Bay on the 10th July, 1897, at a 

 depth of 30 to 35 fathoms. In British waters it is already known 

 from the Hebrides and Clyde Estuary (Giaither) and from the west 

 coast of Ireland (Holt and Calderwood). Other North Atlantic 

 records are from Scandinavia (Fries and Ekstrom, Lilljeborg, Smitt) 

 and Denmark (Kroyer). Moreau knew of no instance of its occur- 

 rence on the Atlantic coasts of France, but it has long been known 

 as common in the Mediterranean. 



It is quite possible that the spotted dragonet is fairly common 

 in our seas. It is a small species, and in the North Atlantic does 

 not come into very shallow water. In consequence it is seldom 

 within the reach of the fishing apparatus at a naturalist's disposal. 

 Professional trawlers may probably see it often enough, but cannot 

 be expected to distinguish it from the common dragonet, and in any 

 case would shovel it overboard as soon as possible, since dragonets 

 are credited with toxic properties, which, as a matter of fact, they 

 do not possess. || 



In the Mediterranean all fish, however small, appear to be saleable. 

 Hence the fishermen use nets of the finest mesh, and the ichthyologist 

 can acquaint himself with the smallest species by simply overhauling 

 the fishmonger's stores. It is therefore no matter for surprise that 

 species which have only recently been added to our list have long 

 been well known to Mediterranean naturalists. — E. W. L. H. 



