LOPHOBRANCHII. 



39 



Descr. — Head broader at the bulging gill-covers and at the 

 pectoral ring than in Agassizi, the breadth at the latter place 

 being as seven to five in Agassizi. Tail-rings 40. Egg-pouch 

 occupying 22 rings. Dorsal fin having from 38 to 41 rays, and 

 measuring from 079 to 0'91 inch in length. A female, having 

 a total length of 5*44 inches, has the following measurements 

 of parts :— of the head 065 inch, the body 1*93 inch, the dorsal 

 tin 079 inch, the tail 3*51 inches. A male measures as follows : 

 — entire length 6'90 inches, length of head - 63 inch, of body 

 1*97 inch, of dorsal 0-91 inch, of egg-pouch 1*97 inch, and of 

 tail 374 inches. Colour reddish, with numerous fine yellowish 

 specks. Under-piece of the gill-cover and the belly silvery or 

 white. 



The Leyden Museum possesses a great number of specimens 

 of all ages from Catwyk in the North Sea, and the Paris Museum 

 one only from Naples, sent by Savigny. 



11. Syngnathus abaster, Risso. 



Syngnathus abaster, Risso, Hist. Nat. p. 182. 



Diagn. — The short snout is surmounted by a leaf-like crest, 

 which is notched near the mouth, and stands higher than 

 the forehead and orbits. A strongly prominent line passing 

 over the nostrils and orbit encompasses the hind-head. 



Descr. — A very distinct and interesting species ; the follow- 

 ing description of which is taken from four male and as many 

 female specimens that were sent to the Paris Museum by D'Or- 

 bisny under the above name from Rochelle. The forehead is 

 broad and concave, and the flatly convex hind-head is encom- 

 passed bv a prominent edge that proceeds from the projecting 

 orbit. There are 15 rings before the dorsal fin, which stands on 

 9 rings, of which one belongs to the body. No break exists at 

 the junction of the lateral line with the upper edge of the tail. 

 The back is made concave by the prominence of its edges, and 

 the belly is distinctly keeled. Colour brownish, with fine yel- 

 lowish specks. A handsome female shows an interrupted cross 

 bar on each ring, and a black spot near the back, with the ven- 

 tral keel darker. Another female wants these distinct markings. 

 The males are spotted all over with fine light spots besprinkling 

 a dark ground. Tail-pouch yellowish, with darker specks near 

 the scales. 



A large male, measuring 5 - 40 inches of total length, has the 

 head - 59 inch long, the back-fin 063 inch, and the tail 3'43 

 inches long. 



