376 Survey of Fishing- Groimds, West Coast of Ireland, ISQO 1891. 



sought, so far as possible, to restore this condition in the sketch, since the action 

 of alcohol had greatly shrunk the tissues by the time a detailed examination could 

 be made. 



Fins. — The extremities of the dorsal fins extend for a considerable distance 

 beyond their respective bases, so that in the case of the second dorsal the extremity 

 almost reaches the commencement of the dorsal lobe of the caudal, and overhangs 

 a considerable part of the ventral lobe. Both dorsals are much alike in shape, the 

 dorsal margin being convex in the anterior, and concave in the posterior region, 

 each terminating in a narrow-pointed process parallel to the dorsum. 



The dorsal lobe of the caudal, commences immediately behind the free end of 

 the sound dorsal. It rises gradually in height, and terminates in an expanded 

 process, extending well beyond the posterior extremity of the vertebral column. 

 We presume that this process is rounded (as rejiresented in the sketch) under 

 natural conditions ; but in our specimen a portion is missing, so that the sketch 

 must be regarded as, in this respect, a restoration. The ventral lobe commences 

 opposite a point about midway between the end of the base of the second dorsal 

 and the free extremity of that fin. It is roughly triangular in shape, but its pos- 

 terior face is very irregular in outline {vide PI. XLin., fig. 1), and its base fails 

 to reach the end of the vertebral column. The dorsal and ventral lobes are 

 therefore quite unconnected in our specimen, though how far the latter conforms 

 in this respect to the normal condition we are unable to say. 



Scales. — These impart to the skin rather a velvety appearance when viewed from 

 a certain distance. This is seen on close insjjection to be due to the fact that the 

 lamellae, thougli overlapping each other, are at the same time somewhat outwardly 

 directed. The scales on the anterior part of the head and on the fins are small and 

 sessile. A group of scales from the side of the body is shown in fig. lb, and a single 

 scale is seen, as it appears in lateral view, in fig. la, which sufficiently illustrates the 

 pedunculate character in that region of the body. On comparing fig. 1 b with 

 Vaillant's drawings (op. cit. PI. in., figs. 2 and 3), it will be seen tliat the scales of 

 our specimen appear to differ considerably in shape from either of those rejiresen- 

 ted by the French observer ; but this is due entirely to a slight difference in the 

 point of view from which the figure was made. It will further apjDear that in the 

 greater elongation of the lamella the agreement is ratiier with the variety [C. 

 squamosiis, Giinth. et auct. plur.) rather than with the typical form. In the strength 

 of the lateral keels, however, our examples are somewhat intermediate. So also 

 with regard to the posterior denticles ; for out of the group of four selected at hap- 

 hazard by the artist, two show the few and bold denticles of the variety, whilst the 

 other two, especially the most anterior one of the group, exhibit numerous and fine 

 denticles. In scales, therefore, it appears that our Irish example is to some extent 

 intermediate, but inclines, on the whole, chiefly to the condition of the variety. 



