159 



is well known to heighten the colours of fishes. The Polewig 

 sometimes abounds in considerable schuls, and seizes a bait 

 with eagerness : habits which are not common to the fislies of 

 this genus. The size of their mouth is too diminutive to 

 admit of their receiving a hook ; but their firm holdfast of 

 the bait and proba!)]y the curvature of their teeth, described 

 by Mr. Yarrell, were the cause that many of them were 

 captu.ed by anglini^; but they fall off from the hook when 

 lifted high above the water. 



WHITE GOBY. Gobias albus. Yarrell's Br. F., vol. 1, 

 p, 295, 2ad edition. 



This obscure species was first noticed by Dr. Parnell ; 

 and though appearing sufficiently distinct, from its form and 

 proporlioni^, to be regarded as a separate species, it affords 

 some grounds for hesitation, that none have been examined 

 but such as are clearly in the first stages of their existence, 



CLUPEID^. HERRINGS. 



WHITE BAIT. Clupea aWa, Yarrell's Br, F., vol. 2, 

 p. 202. 



Whilst this little fish was considered the young of the 

 Shad, no search was made for it beyond the region where it 

 had become an article of luxury. Mr. Yarrell was the first 

 who decided it to be a distinct species ; and since (hen it has 

 been sought and found in other rivers besides the Thames. 

 During the summer of 1843 the favour of a gentlemen sup- 

 plied me with a few specimens from the Fowey, which I 

 have been able to compare with some in my collection from 

 the Thames, with which they exactly agree. I am assured 

 that they abound in the Fovvey and I consequently concludo 

 that if sought for vvitliia the reach of the tide, they might 

 also be taken in the Tauiar, and in the Fal, at the least be- 

 tween Falmouth and Truro. 



CARTILAGINOUS FISHES. CHONDROPTERYGII. 

 RAIIDiE. RAYS. 

 CRAMP RAY. Torpedo. 



The wonderful properties of the Cramp Rays, unlike any 

 thing found in other classes of the animal kingdom beside 

 fishes, and confined to few even of them, has solicited the 

 attention of philosophers at all times; but disregarding- the 

 minute difl'erences that form specilic character.-, writers on 

 Natural History have not judged until recently that there 

 might be more than one species of the race. Aud when 

 this has seemed to be probably established, it was still a 

 matter of doubt to which of the acknowledged species the 

 specimens taken in Britain should be assigned a matter 



