SCANDINAVIAN FISIIKS. 



lateral line contains about 12o scales; and tlio oblique 

 derina] folds on the sides of tlie body nnnd:)cr about 

 130, being thus fewer tiian in tlie Sand-Eel. It is also 

 easy to see, on compai'iiig specimens of equal size, that 

 the scales of the Sand-Launce are larger. The anal 

 aperture lies nearer the middle of the body, the distance 

 between it and tiic tip of tlie lower ja-w measuring, 

 according to Kroyeh, about 53 — 56 % of the length of 

 the body to the end of the outermost caudal rays. We 

 have found the distance between it and tiie tip of tlie 

 snout, in specimens from 97 to 130 mm. long, to I'ise 

 from 56'/^ to 58\/^ % of the length of the body t(_) 

 the end of the middle caudal rays". 



The dorsal fin generally begins somewhat further 

 forward than in tlie Sand-Eel, usually in front of the 

 end of the first fourtii of tiic length of tlie body, but 

 sometimes behind it. ( »n the other liand, its extent 

 is apparently always somewhat greater, sometimes as 

 much as ^,'3 of the lengtli of the body. Consequently, 

 the distance between it and the tip of the snout, accord- 

 ing to our measurements, never exceeds 40 % of the 

 length of its base''. As a rule too, its length increases 

 even relatively with age, the length of the head in 

 specimens about 9 cm. long measuring 28'7 % of the 

 length of the Ijase of the dorsal fin, in specimens be- 

 tween 13 and 20 cm. long only 26'7 % thereof. The 

 anal fin generally begins somewhat further forward and 

 in most cases is of somewhat greater extent than in 

 the Sand-Eel; but in both species the length of its 

 base varies between 48 and 43 % (in the Sand-Launce 

 exceptionally 41 '3 %). In the caudal fin ^\•e find no 

 characteristic ])eculiarit}- wortliy of mention, tlie least 

 de])th of the tail in tiiis species, too, being generally 

 somewhat more'' than lialf the length of tlie middle 

 rays of the caudal fin. 



In the Sand-Lainice the ]»ectoral fins always extend 

 distinctly (for '4 — '/g of their own length) behind the 



perpendicular frcjiii the beginning of the dorsal fin. 

 Their length is at least somewhat more than 9 % (ac- 

 cording to our measurements 9"1 — 10'3 %) of that of 

 the body, than 37 ?^ (43—37-2 »>) of the distance be- 

 tween the dorsal fin and the tip of the snout, or than 

 90 % (113-6— 90-1 %) of the iiostorbital length of the 

 head. They are also always longer than the lower jaw, 

 the length of which we have found to vary between 

 80 and 95 % of that of these fins. 



Tiie coloration is the same as that of the Sand- 

 Eel, but is often more Iduish, olive-green with steel- 

 blue lustre, on the back. The young specimens in par- 

 ticular are finely punctated with round, dark brown 

 spots, one row above the lateral line, one row below 

 it, and a third ro^v along the base of the dorsal fin 

 composed of somewhat larger pigmental spots. This 

 marking is, however, by no means peculiar to the Sand- 

 Launce. The upper part of the silvery white iris is in 

 most cases more shaded with black than is usually the 

 case in the Sand-Eel, where the whole iris is generallj' 

 silvery. In this species too, the lower part of the sides 

 has a silvery lustre, but the bellj' is of a duller white. 

 The youngest specimens have a row of dark In-own, 

 pigmental spots along each side of the l)ase of the anal 

 fin. The snout is without the Idack spot on the sides, 

 or possesses merely a trace of this spot in the form of 

 scattered pigmental spots, larger and denser than on 

 the rest of the snout. The ti|> of the lower jaw is also 

 destitute of the black colour \vhich Ave find there in 

 most Sand-Eels, at least in old specimens. The caudal 

 fin is darkened at the base above and below by brown 

 pigment between the rays. The peritoneum is silverv 

 white as in the Sand-Eel, but more densel}- punctated 

 with small, round dots of black pigment, sometimes so 

 dense that the preponderating colour of the membrane 

 becomes coal-black. 



In order to ascertain the natural relations between 

 these three species of European Sand-Eels, we shall now 

 notice some ]ioints in the manner in which the uKjst 



significant chai-acteristics appear in these species. In 

 general Ammodi/tes lanceolafits has a longer head, measur- 

 ing more than '^ of the length of the body; but 



" In specimeus of the Sand-Ecl lielwecn I3y ami 289 luni. long, this pruportioii rises from ,'J9'2 to GO'2 %, the increase thns seeming 

 to nrlvance with fair regularity. 



'■ From 40 to 36 % in the Santl-Launce; from 45 to 44 ". in the Sand-Eel. 



' In Sand-Eels between II and 20 cm. long this proportion sinks from 33 to 30'G "o. In a Sand-Lannce 50 mm. long, however, 

 the percentage was 32" 1. 



'' Sometimes perceptilily less, however, according to Kkoyer. 



