LOPHOBRANCHII. / 



1. Hippocampus brevirostris, Cuv. 



Hippocampus brevirostris, Owner, R. A. ii. 365. 



Yarreffis British Fishes, ii. p. 342. 

 Hippocampus Rondeletii, Willughby, p. 157. i. 25. f. 3 (not very 

 exact). 



Diagn. — Length of the snout nearly twice that of the diametei 

 of the orbit, or equal to that of the height of the dorsal fin. 

 A sharp projection over the nostrils. Tenth body-ring as 

 high as the 6th, 7th or 8th is long. 



Descr. — This species resembles H. guttulatus, but is easily 

 distinguished by its shorter snout, higher dorsal, and less pro- 

 minent spines. The male is higher, and its 10th body-ring is 

 as high as the 7th and 8th are long. The female is as high at 

 the same part as the last six body-rings measure in length. The 

 knobs on the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 11th body-rings project more 

 than the others ; and the same is the case with those on the hth 

 or 7th, the 8th or 9th, and 11th or 12th tail-rings. The occipital 

 coronet has five prominences, whereof the medial distal one is 

 connected with the sharp-ridged crest of the breast-ring. At 

 certain times of life the cranial knobs are ornamented with 

 skinny filaments, such as are represented in Willughby 's figure. 



It is not so variegated and spotted as guttulatus, but is marked 

 by many white spots and dark and brownish stripes. Brown 

 stripes set in white cross the eyes. Mr. Yarrell describes its 

 tints in the following words : — " The general colour is a pale 

 ash-brown, relieved by a changeable iridescence, and by variable 

 tints of blue dispersed over different parts of the head, body and 

 tail." 



A great many specimens are deposited in the Paris, London, 

 Leyden, Vienna, and other Museums. It is an extremely com- 

 mon species throughout the North Sea and the Adriatic. 



2. Hippocampus japonicus, Kp. 



Hippocampus brevirostris, Temm. et Schl. Faun. Jap. (partim). 



Diagn. — At the 7th body-ring the height equals the length 

 from the end of the snout to the breast-spine near the pec- 

 toral fin. 

 Descr. — This species greatly resembles brevirostris in the 

 shortness of the snout, but the body measured from the rim of 

 the belly to the edge of the back is comparatively higher than in 

 individuals of brevirostris having the same length. Five young 



