Q2 HAIRTAIL. 



Animals," he says, "Its head was much broken, the bones of 

 the upper part of the head still remained, and the sockets of 

 the eyes were distinguishable very near to each other; the 

 extremity of the upper jaw, or upper part of the mouth, 

 was entire; upon either side of which was an operculum. 

 The length of the head could not be measured exactly, but 

 was about eight or nine inches. The body from the gills to 

 the point of the tail was three feet two inches long; its greatest 

 breadth six inches and a quarter, and its greatest thickness 

 only an inch. The vent was two inches from the gills; these 

 were much broken and partly gone, so that the number of 

 rays could not be ascertained. Both sides of the fish were 

 wholly white, without a spot upon them; the dorsal fin was 

 the only part of a different colour, being a blackish green: 

 this fin ran all along the back from the gills to the tail, 

 consisting of a great number of rays, soft, and little more than 

 an inch long. Each of the pectorals had six double rays. 

 There were no ventral nor anal fins, but the belly was a sharp, 

 smooth, and entire edge. The tail ended in a point, consisting 

 of three or four soft spines or bristles, of different lengths, not 

 exceeding two inches. The body was nearly of the same 

 breadth for one half of its length, and then its breadth 

 diminished gradually till within three inches of the tail, when 

 the diminution became more quick. The lateral line was straight, 

 and strongly marked along the middle of the two sides." 



It is remarkable that in November, 1821, the same gentleman 

 had an opportunity of examining an example of what he sup- 

 posed to be the same species, which had been thrown on 

 shore near the same place; but as, after the entire loss of its 

 head, what remained measured twelve feet nine inches, with a 

 breadth of eleven inches and a quarter; the distance from the 

 gills to the vent measured forty-six inches, the lateral line was 

 straight, and the tail ended in a blunt point without bristles, 

 we confidently question whether this example at least ought 

 to be referred to the species imdcr consideration, or even to 

 the same genus. We add some notes from Artedi, in order to 

 shew that the description and figure derived from a Cornish 

 specimen, belongs, beyond question, to the same fish that he 

 describes. Head compressed, lengthened; produced into an 

 eminence behind, broad betwecu the eyes; body long, narrow. 



