found on the coast of Yorkshire. 317 



this was placed a second fin, similar in all respects, except 

 perhaps being cut a little more square at the end. From the 

 front of the first of these fins to the end of the nose was a 

 space of about 5 feet, without any other fin or projection ex- 

 cept the small spines before mentioned. The colour of the 

 fish was when I saw it, a few hours after it was caught, a nearly 

 uniform reddish slate-colour, somewhat lighter on the lower 

 parts ; but it was described by the fisherman who caught it as 

 having been more of a red cast, with blotches of a lighter co- 

 lour, before it died. 



The peculiar characters of this fish consist in the smooth 

 slimy spinous skin (resembling in this respect some of the 

 Ray tribe), the thick fleshy fins with the five bracliial open- 

 ings all placed in front of the pectoral fins, in having no cen- 

 tral dorsal fin, no temporal orifices, no anal fins. In these re- 

 spects it differs from any fish hitherto described as a British spe- 

 cies. Nor does it agree with any I have been able to discover 

 in any work I have yet had an opportunity of referring to. 



Arthur Strickland. 



Burlington Quay. 



This species is the Echinorhinus obesus of Smith, who 

 says in reference to it, " This shark is comparatively rare 

 at the Cape of Good Hope. It is described by the fisher- 

 men as sluggish and unwieldy in its movements, and but sel- 

 dom to be observed towards the surface of the water. When 

 they obtain specimens it is generally at a time when they are 

 fishing in deep water, and when the bait with which the hooks 

 are armed is near to the bottom. In this respect it resembles 

 the Scyllus or Ground Shark. If we were to regard only its 

 internal organization we should be disposed to consider it as 

 closely allied to that genus.^^ — Illustrations of the Zoology of 

 South Africa, by Andrew Smith, M.D., Part I. Pisces, pi. 1. 



After an attentive examination of the particulars on this 

 subject published in the Supplement to Mr. YarrelPs History 

 of our British Fishes, Part II. p. 54, I have no doubt that 

 all the specimens, and the various synonyms employed, 

 refer but to one and the same species at different periods of 

 its existence. — A. S. 



