Oblong Sun-fish; Pipe-fishes. 145 



approaching, suddenly seized the fin and whisked the big fish 

 aboard. Never having seen the like, it was brought to Dr. 

 Muric for identification. This male measured 21 inches long 

 by 16j inches vertical depth ; thickness, 3-4 inches ; weight, 

 close on | cwt. ; gill-slit, 1| in. ; no true teeth, but turtle-like 

 month, with hard gum-plates; rough leathery skin of a dull 

 brownish hue. 



(2) The OBLONG SUN-FISH (0. truncatus) is brilliantly 

 coloured, never attains the dimensions of 0. mola, is not so deep, 

 and is encased in a coat of mail, composed of minute, close-set, 

 bony, button plates. Our only authorities for its Essex 

 authenticity are Dale and Lindsey, who incidentally mention 

 that at Harwich it is rare. 



The Pipe-fish Family (Syngnatkidoe). Several members of 

 tli is family are residents and very numerous pretty well 

 everywhere in our District. They are known locally as 

 " Snake-fish," no distinction being made between the different 

 kinds. As a rule they are cast away when caught. If kept 

 they are stringed together, garland fashion, as a mantelpiece 

 ornament. Formerly dried and pounded, the powder was re- 

 garded as a sure cure for whooping cough. Five species obtain, 

 which naturalists class into almost as many genera. Those are : 

 (1) The GREATER PIPE-FISH (Syngnathus acus) and (2) the 

 BROAD-NOSED PIPE-FISH (Syphonostoma typhle), which two are 

 the most common. The big ones occasionally come up in the 

 shrimp and eel trawls, frequently are trapped in the stow-net 

 or captured in the drag-net. (3) The OCEAN or SNAKE PIPE- 

 FISH (Nerophis cequoreus) and (4) the STRAIGHT-NOSED PIPE- 

 FISH (N. ophidian) have a more tapering, whip-like, almost 

 fiiiless tail, and fewer are taken, especially of the latter, which 

 is rare. 



Pipe-fish are interesting in their singular habits rather than 

 of their benefit to fishermen, for even as bait they are valueless. 

 For instance, the male (not the female) hatches the eggs in a 

 kind of belly-pouch or scaly flap covering; both sexes progress 



K 



