448 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



its height; second dorsal rather longer and more elevated anteriorly^ 

 sloping gradually to be continuous with the caudal ; vent placed a 

 little behind the commencement of the second dorsal ; skin smooth, 

 marked with a number of fine lines placed at equal distances, which 

 encircle the body throughout its whole length. 



The Pride was first discovered by Dr Plot in the Isis, 

 and was formerly considered to be peculiar to the rivers 

 near Oxford, where it is said to be of frequent occurrence. 

 It is also found in many parts of England, and is a com- 

 mon species in some of the rivers of Scotland, particularly 

 in the Forth and Tweed ; but its habit of concealing itself 

 in soft mud from which it seldom emerges, seems the prin- 

 cipal cause of its not being more frequently met with. It 

 spawns about the beginning of May, and is said to feed 

 upon worms, insects, and dead animal matter. 



As these sheets were passing through the press, the author, 

 at the request of the Society, has included his most recent 

 discoveries, so as to make the list of fishes found in the 

 Firth of Forth complete, up to the present period. The 

 number of species enumerated amounts to one hundred 

 and twenty-five, about forty of which have been added by 

 himself from personal observation, and six of these had not 

 previously been recorded as British.* One hundred and 

 sixty preserved specimens were exhibited as illustrative of 

 the essay, and some of the rarer species have since been 

 presented to the Society's Museum. 



" The author has lately discovered four other fishes new to Britain, 

 which are not inchided in Mr Yarrell's work on the British Fishes, viz. 

 Gobius albus. Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin. 1837. Trigla hicerna, and Monochi- 

 rws rnJ/m/Ms, Zool. Bot. Mag. vol. i. Corec/onus microcepho.lns, Ann. Nat. 

 Hist. No. iii. 



