LOPIIOI3KANCHII. 49 



Risso describes a very large individual 15/C inches long, and 

 Bays tliiit the colour of its hack was a mixture of grey, brown 

 and greenish tints with whitish spots. The belly white, with 

 a silvery lustre, marbled and variegated by golden lines and mark- 

 ings. Risso also notices a variety having a more reddish hue, 

 whose dimensions were less. It is probable that the first figure 

 of Rondeletius represents this species. The VienDa Museum 

 possesses a specimen. 



2. Siphonostomus typhle, Bonajy. 



Syngnathus typhle, Linn. ; Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, p. 13.9. 

 Siphoiiostonius typhle, Bonap. Cat. Meth. p. 89. t. 5. f. 42. 



tVillughby,' V . 158. t. 25. f. 1. 

 Syngnathus acus, Eckstrbm, die Fische der Mbrkb, p. 123. t. 6. 



f. 1,2. 

 Siphonostoma acus, Rafnesque, p. 35. 



Diagn. — Snout bearing a greater proportion than one and a half 

 to the space between the front of the orbit and the distal 

 edge of the gill-cover. Hind-head almost flat, and the 

 forehead between the eyes somewhat concave. The seven 

 edges of the body are not toothed. Dorsal fin supported 

 by 'AS or 39 rays on 9 or 10 rings, of which the first is the 

 anal ring. 



Descr. — The largest individual seen by Yarrell measured 

 13 inches. The colour is olive-green, speckled with yellowish- 

 brown and yellowish-white. The belly yellowish. This species 

 never exhibits black cross-lines on the snout like Rondeletii. 

 According to Eckstrom the females are larger, and have at all 

 periods a lighter colour. When we consider the references 

 given by Linnaeus, and the minutely observed character of Acus, 

 ' Truncus scutis subtilissime striatis," and the distinctive pecu- 

 liarity of typhle, "rostrum temie subcompressum" introduced as 

 parts of his description, it becomes evident that he has drawn 

 that description from both species. His further observation, 

 " Pedem longitudinis vix excedens," belongs to typhle, since Acus 

 attains a length of 2 feet. A dotted dorsal fin is moreover a 

 character of Acus, and not of typhle, whose dorsal is of one 

 colour. The species may likewise be confounded with the fol- 

 lowing one, but the snout is smaller and more slender; it is 

 scarcely so high as the diameter of the orbit. In typhle the 

 acute dorsal crest of the snout is not so much developed, and the 



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