Opah; File-fish; Sun-fislt. 143 



(Gasterosteus spinach-ia) is of common occurrence around Dover 

 and other spots in Kent. They have been got 3 to 4 inches 

 long in the Blackwater by Mr. Fitch; and by Dr. Laver, in 

 trawling for eels among the Zostera beds. We have also found 

 them in the Thames estuary widely distributed, at Leigh 

 sometimes known as " sawback," which is its common name in 

 the Blackwater. (2) The THREE-SPINED STICKLEBACK (G. 

 acnleatus) we have already stated gets into the whitebaiters' 

 nets, as occasionally do both in the shrimpers' hauls. 



Fam. Coryphxnidoe. The OPAH, or KIN G-FJSH (Lampris hinn) 

 is notable for being a North Sea form of most gorgeous colouring 

 and great size. Its body is deep and laterally compressed. It 

 runs to several feet in length and weighs over 1 cwt. in full- 

 grown specimens. Its bright scarlet fins and tail and body 

 stripe, its purple back, emerald sides, yellow belly and silver 

 spots throughout the body give it a most striking aspect. It 

 is a casual visitor to Kent, being at rare intervals brought in 

 to Ramsgate, Dover arid Folkestone. It occurs in Boys' 

 list (op. cit.). 



Fam. Scleroderml. A specimen of the FILE-FISH or 

 TRIGGER-FISH (Bailees capriscus) was captured in a trawl 

 27th September, 1884 (by the Dymchurch men), in the bay 

 between Folkestone and Dungeness Point. It was dull slate 

 coloured, IOJ inches long, 4| inches deep, excluding fins.* This 

 very rare fish is remarkable for its armoured compressed body, 

 its strong chisel teeth, which act like pincers on shells to extract 

 the soft-bodied mollusc, and for its long file-like fore dorsal 

 spine, which only acts when in unison with the shorter second 

 spine triggerlike fashion. It is a southern form and mere 

 w r anderer to our coast. 



Fam. G-ymnodontes. The Sun-fishes, two in number, are 

 spread world wide, those straying to our shores evidently 

 coming from the Atlantic. They are quite peculiar in several 

 respects. Their body outwardly resembles a fish cut short and 



* Tegetmeir in The Field, Oct., 1884, and Halting, Zool., 3rd Ser., Nov., 1884. 



