125 



PHYCIS. 



Body of moderate length; jaws and palate with teeth; a barb at 

 the lower jaw; two dorsal fins and one anal; but the distinguishing 

 mark is — that the ventral fins are each formed of a single long ray 

 which in the course of its length is divided into two. 



GREATER FORKBEARD. 



Halce's Dame, Forhed Hake, Goat fish, Jago; in Ray's Synopsis, p. 



163 and f. 7. 

 " ** " Couch; in Transactions of 



LiujiEean Society, vol. xiv. 

 Phijscts furcatus, Fleming; British Animals, p. 



193. 

 Phycis farcatus, Jenyns ; Manual, p. 452. 



" " Yakrell; British Fishes, vol. 



ii, p. 289. 

 Phycis blennoides, Guntiier; Catalogue British 



Museum, vol. iv, p. 361 ? 



This species may be regarded as scarce rather than rare; 

 60 that examples show themselves singly, for the most part in 

 the colder months, although I have obtained an examjile in 

 June; and there are not usually more than one or two caught 

 in a season. They are taken with a hook, and in the stomach 

 I have found the bones of a small fish, a shrimjj, and the 

 fragment of a Lxrge pecten-shell. From the feeble structure 

 of its tail it does not appear capable of active exertion, but 

 this apparent defect is probably compensated by the structure 

 of tliose long tendrils which stand in the place of the ventral 

 fins which belong to the others of this natural family, and 

 which in this instance may be judged from their structure 

 to be endued with powers of lively sensation. These tendrils 

 or fins have joints along their course, and are well supplied 



