NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 121 
seemed less tolerant of sea-water than the other. I was therefore 
rather astonished to find an assertion, attributed, I suppose correctly, 
by Day to Couch, that G. pungitius “ will not exist when confined in 
salt water, however diluted such may be.” ‘To test the truth of this, 
five examples were transferred from fresh to salt water. Three of 
them showed very little apparent irritation, but the two others 
gasped a good deal for some time, but finally, as far as the salinity 
of the water was concerned, the discomfort appeared to cease. These 
examples have failed, however, to adjust their air-bladders to the 
greater density of the salt water, and remained, in consequence, at 
the surface when at rest, though able to descend when inclined to 
do so. One has died, at the end of a week. Two appear perfectly 
contented with their new surroundings, and in no way inconvenienced 
by the density of the water, which is about 1:020°.—EH. W. L. H. 
Pleuronectes microcephalus, Donov.—I have alluded elsewhere to the 
occurrence of young lemon soles in the Humber in autumn. I have 
since received three, measuring 23, 4, and 5 inches respectively, 
which were taken on the Tetney ground on the 7th of April. It 
seems, therefore, probable that some of these fish remain in the river 
throughout the winter. Whilst reserving a more detailed descrip- 
tion, it may be remarked that these small examples exhibit all the 
markings shown by the adult when taken on a bright-coloured 
ground. In both cases the markings disappear very rapidly after 
death, but the dark pigment can be fixed by alcohol.—E. W. L. H. 
Scorpena dactyloptera, De la Roche.—A specimen, 4% inches in total 
length, was taken in a shrimp-trawl on the Tetney ground on the 
night of the 17th April. It has the colours of the adult, but the 
lower rays of the pectoral fins are still connected by membrane, as in 
other young examples that have come under my notice. 
The species is known to occur all along the European and North 
Atlantic slope, at depths between 54 and 527 fathoms, but there is 
no record of its occurrence on the English coast. As the Tetney 
ground is nowhere deeper than five fathoms, I would call attention to 
the extension of the vertical rather than to that of the horizontal 
range. From the accounts of prawn fishermen I believe that several 
other small examples have been taken in the Humber this spring. 
eee pms 
NEW SERIES.—VOL, III, NO. I. 9 
