THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



[SECOND SERIES.] 



•* perlitora spargite museum, 



Naiades, et circilm vitreos considite fontes : 

 PoUice virgineo teneros hic carpite flores : 

 Floribus et pictura, divas, replete canistrum. 

 At vos, o Nymphae Craterides, ite sub undas ; 

 Ite, recurvato variata corallia trunco 

 Vellite muscosis e rupibus, et mihi conchas 

 Ferte, Deas pelagi, et pingui conchylia succo." 



N. Parthenii Giannettasii Eel, 1. 



No. 19. JULY 1849, 



I. — Account of a Ribbon Fish (Gymnetrus) taken off the coast of 

 Northumberland. By Albany Hancock and Dennis Em- 



BLETON, M.D.* 



[With two Plates.] 



On the 26th of March, 1849, a fine specimen of a species of 

 Gymneti-us, or Ribbon Fish, was captured by Bartholomew Taylor 

 and his two sons, the crew of a fishing coble belonging to Cul- 

 lercoats. It was found at about six miles from shore, and in 

 from twenty to thirty fathoms water. The men having started 

 from their fishing ground to return homewards, observed at a 

 little distance what appeared to be broken water ; the old man 

 being struck with such a novelty directed his lads to pull towards 

 it ; on nearing the spot they perceived a large fish lying on its 

 side on the top of the water. The fish as they approached it 

 righted itself, and came with a gentle lateral undulating motion 

 towards them, showing its crest and a small portion of the head 

 occasionally above water ; when it came alongside, one of them 

 struck it with his picket — a hook attached to the end of a small 

 stick, and used in landing their fish ; on this it made off" with a 

 vigorous and vertical undulating motion, and disappeared, Taylor 

 says, as quick as lightning under the surface. In a short time it 



* Read at the Anniversary Meeting of the Tyneside Naturalists' Field 

 Club, April 21, 1849. 



Ann. ^ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol. iv. X 



