248 Prof. M'Intosh's Notes from the, 



extending from the nostrils above the eye to the base of the 

 anterior dorsal. A light blue band extends from the rear of 

 the eye to the top of the operculum and in front of the eye to 

 the nostrils. A blue spot of similar tint is found at the poste- 

 rior base of the dorsal and at the base of the caudal extremity 

 of the posterior dorsal. The rest of tlie body is straw-coloured." 

 When the dorsal and anal fins are first outlined from the 

 marginal (Agassiz's pi. iv. fig, 4) he found them " usually of 

 a bright olive-green, darkest towards the dorsal side, with 

 the same blue band extending towards the operculum from 

 the rear of the orbit, with one or two round blue spots above 

 the level of the pectorals along the lateral line. Other speci- 

 mens were of a bluish neutral slate-tint, uniformly spotted 

 with darker pigment-cells, with the same blue band between 

 the eyes, above the nostrils, and behind the eyes. This was 

 also the colouring of the oldest of the young specimens caught 

 (from 20 to 34 millim.), resembling in general the bluish 

 colouring of the adult, only of a darker tint. 



" The intermediate stages varied greatly in colouring ; some 

 were of a yellowish-brown, spotted with chocolate-coloured 

 patches, with light greenish bands behind the eyes, and five 

 roundish spots of the same colour along the lateral line, and 

 a similar number of larger spots along the base of the poste- 

 rior dorsal, extending in some specimens along the median 

 dorsal line of the body to the coloured band extending be- 

 tween the eyes. Other stages, with a similar arrangement of 

 elliptical spots of a bluish tint along the dorsal and lateral 

 lines, were of a reddish-brown colour, w ith pigment patches 

 of a darker greenish or of a brownish colour, the abdominal 

 region being of a lighter colour." 



Jn regard to the coloration of the British examples some 

 slight difi'erences from the foregoing careful description of the 

 American forms occur. Thus at 12 millim., in June, the 

 general tint is olive-brown, with an opalescent bluish bar 

 running from the operculum to the eye, and then forw^ard 

 over the upper lip to the nioutli, where those of opposite sides 

 almost meet. Traces of the same hue occur on the cheeks 

 and on the pectorals. A cross-bar vi the same beautiful tint 

 passes between the eyes, so that the whole forms an A, a pale 

 furrow in front being caused by the })ren)axillary fold. The 

 efiect of these bands in many is heightened by a border of 

 russet-brown. Others a little larger, again, have the body 

 dappled with sinuous brown bands, so that it is more or less 

 reticulated, and, in addition to the iridescent bluish bands just 

 mentioned, have dots on the cheeks, bold touches of the same 

 character along the sides and at the base of the pectorals, the 



