TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS, 63 



pence the pound. The Atherine {Atherina presbyter) is taken at Burlington quay by- 

 persons when fishing with a worm ; and the Argentine {Scopelus Humboldtii) was met 

 with at Redcar in 1841, 1843 and 1844, from the 23rd of January to May, but never 

 later. When first taken they have the smell of cucumbers. One specimen of Leach's 

 Herring (Clupea Leachii) was found on the beach at Redcar in April 1843. The 

 Common and Speckled Cod {Morrhua vulgaris and punctata) are common, and appear 

 to be the same species, varying only according to the ground on which they feed. The 

 Hake {Merlucius vulgaris) is a rare species with us. The Five-bearded Rockling 

 (Motella quinque-cirrata) and the Lesser forked-beard {Raniceps trifurcatus) are both 

 taken at Redcar. Several specimens of Muller's Top-knot (Rhombus hirtus) were 

 found on the beach at Redcar in 183fi, but none have occurred tliere since. The 

 Smooth Sole (R, arnoglossus) and the Lemon Sole (Solea pegusa) are both taken, but 

 rare. Several specimens of the Short Sun-fish (Orthagoriscus Mola) have been taken, 

 one at Redcar, and two or three at Burlington. The Sharp-nosed Sturgeon {Aci- 

 penser Sturio) is occasionally taken ofi^ Redcar and in the Tees ; and the Broad-nosed 

 Sturgeon (A. latirostris) appears to be the species peculiar to the Ouse, the former 

 not being taken in that river. 



Of the Squalidse or Shark family, the following appear the most remarkable species : 

 the small and the large-spotted Dog (ScylUum canicula and catulus), the Blue Shark 

 {Carcliarias glaucus), taken off Scarborough ; the Porbeagle {Lamna Cornubica), and 

 the Beaumaris Shark (L. Monensis) ; the Common Tope (Galeus vulgaris) ; Smooth 

 Hound {Mustelus leevis) ; the Basking Shark (Selachus maximus), and the Angel Fish 

 (Squatina Angelus). A specimen of the Spinous Shark {Echinorhinus spinosus) was 

 taken off Burlington in 1838, and an account of it was read at the Newcastle Meeting 

 of the British Association by Arthur Strickland, Esq. 



Of the Raiidse, the most uncommon are the Shagreen Ray {Raia chagrinea), the 

 Starry Ray {Raia radiata), the Sling Ray {Trygon pastinaca), and the Eagle Ray 

 (Myliobatis aquila) . 



Of the Petromyzidee, the Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is taken at Redcar and in 

 the Tees ; the Lampern (Pet. fluviatilis) in the Ure ; the Fringed Lipped Lampern 

 (Pet. Planeri) twice taken in twenty fathoms water off Redcar, and the Pride (Ammo- 

 ccetes branchialis) in a small brook near Richmond. The extreme abundance of the 

 Myxine or Hag (Gastrobranchus ccBcus) maybe imagined from the fact, that 123 

 specimens were taken out of one codfish at Redcar last winter. 



Mr. T. West read a paper on the occurrence of Sclerotic Plates in Fishes. These 

 plates had been noticed in birds, but not, that the author was aware, in fishes. They 

 did not occur in all fishes, but the author suggested that they might be a provision to 

 enable fishes to swim in rapid water. 



Prof. Owen exhibited a human skull from South Australia, which had been used 

 for the purpose of carrying water, in fact, as a widow's cruise. The absence of the 

 art of pottery was the inducement for thus using this part of the human skeleton. 

 The ancients, at their feasts, were said to quaff their wine from the skulls of their 

 enemies, but he believed this was the first case in which it had been ascertained that 

 any part of the human skeleton had been used as a domestic utensil. 



Mr. Ball noticed the peculiar structure of the hoof of the Giraffe, which pre-emi- 

 nently fits it for passing along mountain ravines with velocity. This structure con- 

 sists in a brush-like structure of the sole of the foot. 



Report of the Dredging Committee for 1844. 



This report consisted of two parts : first, of the records of a series of dredging 

 operations conducted round the coasts of Anglesea, in September 1844, by Mr. 

 M'Andrew and Prof. E. Forbes, exhibiting the distribution of the marine animals 

 procured in various depths down to thirty fathoms, and the state of the sea-bed 



