NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 345 



collected by Ernest W. L. Holt," Ann. and Mag., 1894). Tt was, 

 however, known to occur at Naples (G. 0. Sars, Middelhavets 

 Mysidcr). 



We hope to prepare a further publication on the Schizopoda of the 

 Plymouth district shortly. 



Note. — Since the above was written we have found that Mysidopsia 

 angusta is recorded from Valencia Harbour, on the west coast of Ireland, 

 by A. 0. Walker. {Trans. Liverpool Biol. Sac. xii. 1898, p. 164.) 



E. W. L. H. and W. I. B. 



Malformation of the Mouth in the Common Sea-Bream. — 



Yarrell has published in his work on British Fishes (vol. i., p. 110) 

 a sketch of Couch's, which represents an abnormal condition of the 

 mouth in the Common Sea-Bream {S'jparus centrodontus), caused, 

 according to Yarrell, by the " want of intermaxillary bones." The 

 effect is to give the fish a characteristic " short-nosed " appearance, 

 and to cause the lower jaw to protrude considerably in front of the 

 head. At the same time the mouth is reduced to a small tubular 

 orifice, which leaves the anterior half of the lower jaws permanently 

 exposed. Mr. Dunn, of Mevagissey, recently forwarded to the Labora- 

 tory a Bream which exhibited this same abnormality. It was caught 

 in a seine at Mevagissey on September 30th, and in all other respects 

 was in good condition. Its length, from the tip of the lower jaw to 

 the fork of the tail, is 9| inches ; its maximum depth, 3| inches. The 

 puzzle propounded by Mr. Dunn was how a fish with such a mouth 

 could manage to eat anything, especially as in his specimen the 

 aperture of the mouth is reduced to an even greater extent than in 

 Couch's, the fleshy cheek and nasal membranes having grown forwards 

 and downwards, so as to leave only the teeth on the anterior extremity 

 of the lower jaw exposed, the lateral teeth being completely covered. 

 The aperture of the mouth is spoon-shaped, and measures I inch in 

 long diameter, and slightly more than ^ inch across. It is quite 

 incapable of closure or of expansion. As I had seen a similar " short- 

 nosed" Bream at Plymouth earlier in the summer, it would appear 

 that this extraordinary abnormality is curiously common in this species 

 and in this locality — a matter which seemed to merit enquiry. I have, 

 therefore, carefully compared Mr. Dunn's specimen with a normal 

 Bream, and, with Mr. Dunn's assistance, am able, I think, to oli'er 

 a complete explanation. 



The stomach of the abnormal fish was greatly distended with food, 

 which consisted principally of pieces of green algfip, both Ulva and 

 Enteromorpha, among which were to be found a small number of 



