302 SHORT SUN FISH PARASITES. CHAP. xv. 



" I do not," replied Mr. Bate, " study the Entomostra- 

 ceous Crustacea myself ; so I gave some of those you 

 sent me to Mr. Lubbock, and some to Dr. Baird of the 

 British Museum, from both of whom I hope you will 

 hear." 



In a future letter, Edward sent Mr. Bate some 

 worm-like parasites found on a Short Sun Fish taken 

 near Banff. "The genus," said Edward, "is very 

 little known in this country. It has hitherto been 

 found only on the Flying Fish. It seems, however, to 

 frequent the Sun Fish. This was not previously known. 

 When once these creatures take a firm hold, it 'is im- 

 possible to shake them off or get rid of them, they 

 sink so deep into the animal's body. There are from 

 two to three longish barbs which protrude from the 

 neck, close to the head, and which appear to serve 

 exactly the same purpose as the barb does on the 

 hook. One which I cut out and no easy matter it 

 was had its head sunk at least an inch and a half 

 into the fatty ridge of the fish. In the Illustrated, 

 London News of July 10th, 1858, there is an illustra- 

 tion given of a Flying Fish with a parasite attached 

 to its back, and having a lot of barnacles adhering to 

 it. The fish here figured is said to have leapt from the 

 sea into the mizen chains of the East Indiaman 

 Monarch, whilst on her homeward voyage from Cal- 

 cutta. The parasite in that case was quite different 

 from the one I obtained from the Sun Fish. It was- 

 there called Pennella Blanvillii" 



