/ Holt AND CAhVERWOOD—Eeporf on tHe Rarer Fishes. 505 



Arnoglossus Grohmauni, Giinther. (Littoral.) 



Pleuronedes Grohmanni, . Bonaparte, " Fauna Ital. Pesc." 



. Canesteini," " Arch. Zool.," i., p, 12. 



. Gunther, "Cat. Brit. Mus.," iv., p. 417. 



. Cunningham, "Proc. Zool. Soc, London," June, 1890. 



. Holt, " Proc. Roy. Dub. Soc," vii., p. 228. 



Diagnosis of Species (D. 86-90; A. 60-67; P. 9-10; V. 6; C. 17; Lat. L. 

 56). — The height of the body two-fifths of total length (without caudal). Scales 

 deciduous. Lower jaw slightly prominent ; the length of the maxillary is rather 

 less than one-third of that of the head. Eyes very close together, the lower in 

 advance of the upper. The second dorsal ray separate, elongate. A dingy brown, 

 clouded with darker patches, arranged in three irregular rows. 



Previous to the Survey only two specimens of this fish had been taken in 

 British waters: one obtained by Mr. Spottswood Green from the Kenmare river, 

 in 10 fathoms ; the other by Mr. Garstang, described by Mr. Cunningham {loc. cit.), 

 in Cawsand Bay, Plymouth Sound, in 4 or 5 fathoms. Four examples are now 

 added as a result of the Survey, one an adult male, and three young specimens, 

 taken at Killybegs. It therefore seems probable that this Mediterranean fish is 

 more common on our coast than had been supposed. In the above diagnosis we 

 have followed Giinther as to the relative height and length of the species, because 

 our adult example exactly corresponds with this statement. In the specimen 

 described by Cunningham, the greatest height is stated as "being contained 2^ 

 times in the total length, including the caudal fin." Unfortunately the length of 

 the caudal fin is not stated. Since, however, the length of our adult specimen 

 with the caudal fin added, is, as nearly as possible, twice the extreme height 

 (including dorsal and anal fins), the Plymouth specimen may be of less height. 

 This appears the more likely, since, in another part of Mr. Cunningham's Paper, 

 the extreme length is given as 15'3 cm., the extreme breadth as 5*7 cm. 



The fin-ray formula has been constructed from the observations of Canestrini, 

 Cunningham, and from our own specimen. 



Canestrini D. 90 ; A. 60-67. 



Cunningham D. 87; A. 66 ; P. 10 ; V. 6 ; C. 17. 



Survey specimen D. 87; A. 63 ; P. 9 ; V. 6; C. 17. 

 The great variation in the dorsal and anal fins stated in our diagnosis springs, 

 therefore, from Canestrini's data. We have disregarded the formula of Bonaparte, 

 as showing an excess of variation, or, at all events, a variation which appears to 

 be improbable from the study of British specimens. His formula is D. 80 ; A. 52; 

 Lat. line, ca. 45. 



lEANS. EOT. BUB. SOC, N.S. TOL. V., PAET IX. 4 B 



