St. Andrews Marine Laboratory. 97 



The hake is a common species in Gairloch, but nothing is 

 known of the sail-fluke, though it probably also occurs in 

 the loch. 



4. Ow Lumpenus lampetrgeformis, Walh. 



This species was one of the additions to the British fauna 

 made during the trawling expeditions for the Royal Com- 

 mission under Lord Dalhousie in 1884, the first specimen 

 being described and figured, with his usual care and accuracy, 

 by the late Dr. Francis Day *, who laboured so long and so 

 ably amongst British and Indian fishes. 



The occurrence of a perfectly fresh specimen of a female 

 caught by a hook south-east of the Carr lightship on the 

 23rd February, 1894, gives an opportunity of making a few 

 remarks on the coloration and otlier features. 



The synonymy of the species is sufficiently referred to in 

 Collett's excellent account, from examples procured in the 

 Norwegian North- Atlantic Expedition, 1876-78 f- The only 

 name that may be referred to is that adopted by Dr. Griinther 

 in his ' Catalogue ' J and ' Introduction to Fishes ' §, viz. 

 Stichceus. The total length of the present specimen is 

 9g inches. The general colour is speckled greyish brown, 

 with a faint olive hue, the whole dorsum being minutely 

 dappled in this way. The specks over the dorsum and sides 

 are small, while about seven larger touches occur on each side 

 above the white line of the belly. Collett || observes : — 

 *' Colour pale yellowish brown, relieved with a number of 

 greyish-brown spots, extending laterally along the body ; the 

 abdomen above spotless and of a somewhat more silvery 

 appearance. These spots vary considerably in size ; most 

 middle-sized examples are marked with a row of eight, 

 stretching along the sides below the mesial line, and occa- 

 sionally, too, with a similar series above, the spots composing- 

 it, which sometimes extend beyond the bases of the dorsals, 

 alternating with those in the lower row, the interspace always 

 exhibiting spots and cloudings, the former frequently con- 

 fluent." The lozenge-shaped tail is prettily marked with 

 seven vertical bars of the same hue. The pectorals have a 

 faint greenish-yellow tinge towards the tip. The ventrals 

 are white ; Collett states they are without markings of any 

 kind in the northern examples. The first part of the dorsal 

 fin is somewhat lower than the succeeding, and has six rays 



* Proc. Zool. Soc, June 17, 1884, pi. xli. 



t Christiania, 1880, p. 71. X Vol. iii. p. 280. 



§ P. 495. II Op. cit. p. 70. 



Ann. <& Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. xv. 7 



