CLASS PISCES. 117 



Great Britain, vol. ii., p. 262) gives the estuary of the Thames 

 as their habitat. 



Nerophis ophidion, Linn. STRAIGHT-NOSED, OR SNAKE, 



PIPE-FISH. 



Buckland says (Fam. Hist, of Brit. Fishes, p. 197) this is 

 often taken with Whitebait in the mouth of the Thames. 



Genus HIPPOCAMPUS. 



Hippocampus antiquorum. SEA-HORSE 



Dr. Bree records (Field, December 1st, 1866, p. 420) the 

 capture of two specimens of this rare fish at Brightlingsea. 

 I have never seen it myself. 



Order V. PLECTOGNATI. 



Family GYMNODONTES. 

 Genus ORTHAGORISCUS, BL, Schu. 



Orthagoriscus mola, BL, Schu. SHORT SUN-FISH. 



Lindsey says (A Season at Harwich, p. 102) this occurs but 

 occasionally on. the Essex coast. Mr. E. A. Fitch informs me 

 that he saw a very large one which had been taken in the River 

 Crouch, at Battles Bridge, on October 2ist, 1874. It was a 

 female, measuring 4ft. 6in. in length, and was carried to 

 Rayleigh, Rochford, and Chelmsford for exhibition (Land and 

 Water, October 3 1 st, 1 874, p. 340). Some years later, Mr. Fitch 

 rowed after another in the same river at Burnham. It moved 

 very slowly, and allowed his boat to approach quite closely 

 to its fin before it disappeared. 



Orthagoriscus truncatus, Fleming. OBLONG SUN-FISH. 



Lindsey says (A Season at Harwich, pt. ii., p. 101) the 

 Oblong Sun-fish is rare. 



