LAMPRIS.] PISCES (OSSEI) ACANTHOPT. 369 



as having been taken in Mount's Bay, in October 1825. The second is 

 said to have been obtained in Bridgewater fish-market, on the 18th of 

 April 1833. Dr. Boase's specimen is described in the ** Proceedings of 

 the Zoological Society," /. c. Of its habits little appears to be known, 

 excepting that (according to Risso) it spawns in April. 



GEN. 19. LAMPRIS, Retz. 



43. L. Luna,) Risso. (Opah, or King-Fish.) 



L. Luna, Riss. Hist. Nat. de VEur. Mtrid. torn. in. p. 341. Flem. 

 Brit. An. p. 219. Zeus Luna, Gmel. Linn. torn. i. part iii. 

 p. 1225. Don. Brit. Fish. vol. v. pi. 97. Z. imperialis, Shaw, 

 Nat. Misc. vol. iv. pi. 140. Chrysotosa Luna, Lacep. Hist. Nat. 

 des Poiss. torn. iv. p. 587. pi. ix. f. 3. Lampris guttatus, Cuv. 

 Reg. An. torn. n. p. 211. Opah, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 223. 

 pi. 42. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 299. pi. 46. Sow. Brit. 

 Misc. pi. 22. Opah, or King-Fish, Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. i. 

 p. 173. 



LENGTH. From three to four feet and a half. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Body oval, compressed, greatly diminishing at 

 the tail, which is almost cylindrical : greatest depth (in a specimen three 

 feet six inches long) nearly two feet : thickness not above six inches : 

 mouth small: jaws without teeth: tongue thick, set with reflected 

 prickles : eyes remarkably large : pectorals broad, about eight inches 

 long : dorsal commencing a little behind their insertion, and extending 

 nearly to the caudal ; elevated anteriorly to the height of seven inches, 

 but sloping away very suddenly, then continuing low till just at its ter- 

 mination, where it again becomes slightly elevated : ventrals very strong, 

 placed near the middle of the body : anal narrow, running from the vent 

 to the tail : caudal forked, expanding twelve inches. PENN. 



D. 54; A. 26 ; C. 30 ; P. 28; V. 10 : 



skin smooth: scales scarcely perceptible: lateral line irregular, and 

 somewhat curved at its commencement. DON. (Colours.) Back deep 

 blue, inclining to regal purple, below which the purple is glossed in 

 various directions of light with a reddish and golden hue, blending 

 into green upon the sides, and the green fading to yellow as it ap- 

 proaches the silvery white of the abdomen : the whole body covered 

 with numerous large distinct oval silvery spots : all the fins fine scar- 

 let. DON. 



Rare ; but has been taken in the British seas in several instances ; in 

 some cases been found stranded on the coast after storms. Most of the 

 individuals have occurred off Scotland and the Orkney Islands, but one 

 or two on the western coast of England. Has been known to attain the 

 weight of one hundred and forty pounds. Donovan, who has figured a 

 specimen taken in the Frith of Forth, describes the pectoral fins as much 

 longer than usually represented by British writers : he states that when 

 placed erect, they reach even above the back. This species is not noticed 

 either by Willughby or Ray. 



AA 



