68 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



That tliis species coincides with Bery.v borealis of v. DOben and 

 KoiiKN, was evident wlien Lowe" and Steixdacuner'' described fresh 

 specimens of the former species. A comparison drawn between the 

 classical description of v. DuBEX and Kore.v and the diagnosis of 

 the species given by SteindaCHNER, leaves no room for further doubt as 

 to tlie identity of the species, least of all if we observe tlie significance 

 of the changes due to age (the reduction of tlie spines etc.), which 

 we see in other species of the family. Anyone who will reduce the 

 measurements of different parts of the body given by v. DimEN and 

 KOREN to the corresponding percentage of the greatest depth of the body, 

 will find the same projiortions in Steindachner's figure, in some re- 

 spects corresponding in the minutest details. The identity of species 

 was also clearly shown by the well-founded remarks of Lilljeboro 

 and the later comparison between specimens of B. decadactijlus 

 and the type specimen of li. borealis, a comparison which was 

 executed by Coi.lett. However, one (juestion connected herewith is 

 still unsolved. If one examines the characters for Berijx splendens 

 given by Lowe and STElNnACHNER — the lower form of body, the 

 comparatively straight back, the short base of the dorsal fin, the lon^ 



we are considering this point, an examination should also be made in 

 the same way of the relations between Beri/x a finis and B. lineaius. 



The most remarkable points in the form of the 

 l)ody iu Benjx decadactijlus are given above. There 

 seems to Ije a very important change in form due to 

 age, which stnrts from the rhoraboidal form described 

 by V. DuBEN ;iud KoREN, with "the forehead and the 

 anterior part of the back parallel to the base of the 

 aiud fin, and the posterior part of the back parallel 

 to the hnver jaw and the niiterior part of the ventral 

 line." The peduncle of the caudal fin is narrow, its 

 least depth being less th;i.n tlie diameter of the eye, 

 which is perfectly cii'cular, and lioth in v. Duben's and 

 Koren's measurements ;iii(l in Steindachner's fiorure 



Fig. 18. Bcrijx decadactijlus from Bergen. V, nat. size. After v. DCben and Koren. a: a scale; after Steind.wun'er. 



pectoral fins, the large eyes, the smaller number of soft rays in the 

 dorsal fin"^ and the occasional increase in tlie number of rays in the 

 ventral fins, if one pays attention to the complete similarity of colour- 

 ing in the two "species," remarked by Steindachner, to tlie fact that 

 B. splendens was assumed to be of smaller size'', and lastly to tlie 

 fact that both species are said to occur with complete identity in two 

 regions so distant as the Atlantic and Japan, then it is evident that 

 there are sufficient reasons for the surmise that a still further reduc- 

 tion of the number of species within the genus is at hand. While 



it is exactly ^/^ of the greatest depth of tlie liody. 

 The upper margin of the dorsal fin, like the lower of 

 the an;il, is concave, and the hind margin of the caudal 

 fin is still more deeply forked. The pectoral fins are 

 pointed and directed oblicjuely upwards; in the older 

 specimens they seem comparatively shorter and more 

 obtuse than in the younger ones. To the reduction of 



" Trans. Zoo!. Soc, vol. Ill, p. 1. 



'' Stzber., 1. c. 



'■ According to GOnther the variation is between 15 and IG. 



Though Steindachner mentions a specimen of B. splendens HOT mm. in lengtli and tlnis about 1 decim. longer llian the smallest 

 known specimen of B. decadactijlus, this proves no iiiorc Ilian tliat here, as in many divisions of the system, juvenili' characters may some- 

 times be retained excessively long. 



