REMORA. 117 



of Ireland." It is contained in a letter from Dr. R. Ball, of 

 Dublin, who says that on the 29th. of July, (1848,) Mr. N. A. 

 Nicholson brought to him a fresh specimen of this fish, which 

 he found adhering to the gills of a large Sliark, which he had 

 captured in Dublin Bay on the preceding night; where it was 

 observed in shallow water, and driven on shore. A second 

 Remora adhered to the gills at the opposite side, but when 

 disturbed it made its way inwards by the branchial orifices, and 

 was not seen again. Dr. Ball afterwards obtained the fish on 

 which the Remora was found, and it proved to be a Blue 

 Shark, of the length of ten feet and an inch; but the second 

 Remora was not discovered. 



The length of the specimen examined was four inches and a 

 half; the figure stout on its anterior part; the head flat above, 

 to afford space for the sucking disk; which reaches from the 

 upper lip backward to almost the end of the pectoral fin — in 

 form oval, and in this example with eighteen laminae — proceeding 

 from a middle longitudinal ridge. The eyes prominent; under 

 jaw protruding; cheeks full. Body more compressed from the 

 pectoral fins, tapering nearer the tail. Pectoral fins round, and 

 high; ventral fins thoracic. A slight ridge from the disk to 

 the dorsal fin; which fin and the anal are opposite; tail concave. 

 Colour brown, but its distribution is remarkable, the under 

 parts being dark, and the dorsal parts lighter, as well the back 

 itself as the dorsal fin. We have already seen that the form 

 of the tail and number of laminae of the disk are liable to 

 variation. 



