155 



LONG FINNED TUNNY. Scomber alalunga, Linnaeus. 



Orcynus ala longa, Cuvier. Risso, Ichtiiyologic, p. 1G9. 



In my visit to Penzance in February 1841, I found a 

 specimen of this well marked species in tiie jNIusemii of 

 Natural History there. It was taken in the bay, and is the 

 only specimen known to have been caught in Britain. It 

 may be easily recognized by the great length of the pectoral 

 fms. 



BLACKFISH. Centrolophus pompilus, Cuvier. Yarrell's 

 Br. F., vol. 1, p. 179. 



The only specimens of this fish hitherto recognized as 

 British, were taken in Cornwall, and are recorded in the 

 first portion of our Fauna, and in Mr. Yarrell's British 

 Fishes. To these a fitih specimen is to be added, that came 

 close to a boat at St. Ives, and was hooked with a gaff. 

 In this instance its instinct led to its destruction; for it was 

 the opinion of the ancients that this fish was in the habit of 

 following ships at sea, and manifesting great attachment to 

 them, so as not to be driven away by violent attempts to 

 take it. Some obscurity has been thrown on this part of its 

 history, by confounding it with the Pilot fish ( Naucrales 

 ductor) which is more frequently seen to manifest the same 

 habits : just as also, the adhesive habits have led to similar 

 errors concerning the sucking fishes, Petromyzon mariiius 

 and Eckeneis Remora, Compare Oppian, book 1st,, with 

 Pliny, book 9, chapter 15. 



DOREE. Zeus faber, Linnaeus. Yarrell's Br, F., vol. 1, 

 p. 183. 



As one object of the Naturalist is to study the habits of 

 the creatures of God, I will record an instance of the voracity 

 of this fish. In a specimen twelve inches and a half in 

 length, I found twenty-five flounders, of which few were 

 less than two inches and a half long; three half grown 

 Sting fishes (Coitus scorpio) and five stones of the beach, 

 of which the largest was one inch and a half long : taken 

 up, as I suppose, in its eagerness after prey. The Colti were 

 partly digested, the flounders not at all. The Dor^' was so 

 gorged with its gluttony, as to suffer itself to be taken with 

 the hand. 



BOAR FISH. Z. aper, Linnaeus. Jenyns' Man., p. 368. 

 Capros aper, Risso. Yarrell's Br. F., vol. I, p. 190, 

 2n(J. edition. Zoologist, vol. 1, p. 191, the latter from 

 a British specimen, and differing in several particulars 

 from Mr. Yarrell's figure ; that was derived from a fish 

 caui<ht in Madeira. 



