FISHES. 471 



Gen. Beryx, Cuv. 



Body high, and short, nearly rhomboidical ; head occu- 

 pying one-fourth, of the length, armed with spines; eyes 

 extremely large ; dorsal short, nearly hidden ; scales large, 

 hard, serrated ; gape very wide. 



6. BERYX BOKEALIS, Dum. and Kor. 



The only known example of this fish was taken off 

 Bergen in May, 1839, and is preserved in the museum there. 



Nilsson gives us the specific characters : " Head in 

 front armed with six spines, of which two are on the side of 

 the neck, two on the top of the nose, and two on its sides ; 

 colour deep red on the back, sides, and belly, shifting to a 

 bright silvery hue, with a reddish tinge." Fins bright red. 

 This specimen was 12 in. long, 4 in. high. Br. 8. ; D. 4,18 ; 

 P. 16; V. 1,10; A. 4,27; C. 5 + 20 + 4. 



Nothing appears to be known of the habits of this rare 



fish. 



2. Ventrals before the Pectorals. 



Gen. TrachinuSj L. 



Body long and straight, the height one- sixth of the 

 length ; two dorsals, first short and high, with spiny rays, 

 the hinder as well as the anal very long ; two short spines in 

 front of the eyes ; scales small and smooth, running down 

 the sides in oblique lines ; sea fish ; head not mailed. 



7. TKACHINUS DRACO, Cuv. Vanlig (the Common), Fjarsing. 



The Great Weaver. D. 



Colour very handsome in the living fish ; eye silver 

 white ; sides of the head azure blue, with crooked yel- 

 low bands ; a black spot on the first dorsal, the second 

 white and green ; sides brown-grey, with blue, white, 

 and yellow streaks ; anal fin rose -red ; tail grey-brown, 

 with grey spots. Br. 6; D. 630; P. 15; V. 1,5; 

 A. 1,30. 



Tolerably common on all the western Scandinavian coasts, 

 and also in the south of Norway, but it is not known how far 

 north they go. Specimens of from 12 to 15 in. are not un- 

 common. 



