8 E. LÖNNBERG, THE ICHTHYOLOGY OF THE CASPIAN SEA. 



Acerina cernua (Lin.). 



The »ersch» (pronounced »yorsb») is found in the Volga- 

 delta, but not in the sea. 1 have not made any comparative 

 measurements of this fish because 1 did not procure material 

 enougb. Tbe first of May I took a female ready for spawn- 

 ing in tbe Volga delta wbere tbe water at tbat titne beld a 

 temperature of +11' C. 



Atherina mochon Cuv. et Val. 



Tbe »atberinka» is a very common fisb in tbe Caspian 

 Sea wbere it is preyed npon by larger fisbes, espeeially tbe 

 »belorybitsa^) (Stenodus) and tbe »Dolgoi berring» {Clupea 

 saposlinikovi GtRIMM). At Mangiscblak I collected specimens 

 of tbis kind togetber witb Clupea äelicatula. 



It seemed to me tbat tbe Caspian »atberinka» (Atherina 

 pontica et caspia Eichwald et auctorum) was identical witb 

 tbe Mediterranean A. mochon Cuv. et Val., but not baving 

 satisfactory material for comparison I took tbe liberty of 

 Consulting my esteemed friend Mr. Gr. A. Boulenger for bis 

 opinion and was favoured witb tbe answer tbat be agreed 

 witb me upon tbis subject. I do not tberefore besitate to 

 use tbe above name wbicb is tbe older, instead of Eichwald's. 



Syngnathus bucculentus Rathke. 



I collected tbis little fisb among algse at tbe island Ku- 

 lali off tbe Transcaspian coast and at tbe dredging station 

 numbered 7 in my diary: 50 33' E. long. (Grreenw.), 44° 57' 

 N. lat. also among algse. 



In tbe »Catalogue of tbe Fisbes of Brit. Mus.» G-unther 

 identifies tbis species witb Si/ngnathus acus Lix. Tbis is, 

 however, a mistake. But on tbe otber band tbe Caspian 

 Syngnaihus offers a great resemblance to S. rostellatus Nils- 

 son. It differs from tbe latter in baving tbe dorsal fin a 

 little sborter tban tbe bead. But tbe relation between tbese 

 two measurements varies a good deal witb age. In tbe only 

 adult specimen I obtaiued tbe lengtb of tbe dorsal fin is 

 only 84 % of tbe lengtb of tbe bead, but in young specimens 

 tbe same percentage is 93 %. Tbe lengtb of tbe snout is not 

 quite balf tbe lengtb of tbe bead. Tbe Caspian Synynathus 



