NOTES ON NOVA SCOTIAN ZOOLOGY PIERS. 265 



ins.) ; length of head, 10 ins. ; breadth of head between orbits, 

 4 ins. ; length of fore-paddle, 34 ins. ; length of dorsal shell or 

 carapace, 52 ins. This last measurement, however, does not 

 include about six inches of the posterior point of the carapace, 

 which had apparently been broken off. Each hind-paddle had 

 a well-defined notch, about one inch deep, on the posterior 

 margin. Such a notch was observed in the specimens taken in 

 1889 and 1894. In the present individual there was a hole, about 

 an inch long, through the left fore-paddle. This was probably an 

 old wound, for there was no indication that the turtle had ever 

 been secured thereby. 



The Trunk-back is a wandering species, whose presence on 

 our coast is entirely accidental. 



FISH. 



SUNFISH (Mola mola). This is a rare visitor to our 

 coasts. Only two specimens have been previouly recorded one 

 by the late Dr. Gil pin and the other by the present writer. 

 On July 18th, 1894, one was captured by a man named 

 Reino, about ten miles off Devil's Island, at the mouth of Halifax 

 Harbour. It was brought to Halifax, where I examined it, and 

 found that it differed only in size from the one taken in August, 

 1889. The length of the present specimen from tip of snout to 

 end of most remote digitation of tail, was about 53.50 inches. 

 From tip of dorsal fin to tip of anal fin it measured 67 inches. 

 There were about ten scallops or digitation s on the tail. Several 

 parasites (Pennella filosa ?) had penetrated the sides of the fish 

 in like manner to those noted in the specimen of 1889. 



On August 14th, 1895, while on the shores of Bedford Basin 

 with my brother, we noticed a black object appearing and dis- 

 appearing on the glassy surface of the water about half a mile 

 from shore. From the peculiar motion and form of the object it 

 was recognized as the dorsal fin of a Sunfish. The animal was 

 watched for some time as it rolled its fin out of the water and 

 then back again, meanwhile progressing very slowly. It was 



