SOLENASTOMUS. FISHES. 399 



Gen. 2. HIPPOCAMPUS, Cuv. Syngnathus, Lin. 

 Snout tubular; trunk of the body compressed laterally, and more 

 elevated than the tail ; joinings of the scales raised into ridges, 

 and the projecting angles spinous ; no ventral fins ; bran- 

 chial openings on the neck. 



H. vulgaris, (S. hippocampus, Lin.) The sea Horse. Body hep- 

 tagonal, and furnished with seven rows of tubercles ; belly pro- 

 jecting, with dentated edge ; tail square, terminating in a finless 

 point ; head large, with a cartilaginous excrescence above the nose, 

 and four above the eyes, terminating in cirri ; colour gray on the 

 back and sides, with a number of black and white spots and 

 streaks ; belly brown. 8 to 12 inches long. Inhabits European 

 Seas Shaw, v. pi. 179. 



This species has its name from its head in the dried state, having some resem- 

 blance to that of a horse ; when recent, however, the head, as in other fishes, is in a 

 straight line with the body. 



H.foliatus, Cuv. (S.Jbliatus, Shaw.) Foliated Hippocampus. Ge- 

 neral form of the preceding, but larger in proportion, with leaf- 

 like appendages on the head, back, tail, and abdomen ; colour 

 dusky or blackish-olive, thickly sprinkled on all parts, except ori 

 the appendages, with small whitish round specks ; fins soft and 

 transparent. 10 inches long. Inhabits Coasts of New Holland. 

 Shaw, v. pi. 180. 



This singular animal was described and figured by Dr Shaw from specimens in 

 the possession of the late Sir Joseph Banks. The leaf-like appendages are placed 

 on strong, rough, square spines ; and, were it not for perfect regularity of their pro- 

 portions, might be mistaken for the leaves of some species of fucus adhering to the 

 spines. 



Gen. 3. SOLENOSTOMUS, Lacep. 



Jaws narrow, elongated, and tubular ; opening of the mouth at 

 the extremity of the snout ; large ventral fins behind the 

 pectoral ones, united together with the body into a kind of 



Xon ; first dorsal fin elevated, near the nape ; the second at 

 origin of the tail ; caudal fin large, pointed ; branchial 

 openings near the throat. 



S. paradoxus, Lacep. (Fistularia paradoxa, Pall.) Body covered 

 with slightly elevated scales ; five rays on the first dorsal fin, 

 eighteen on the second ; tail lanceolate. 18 inches long. Inha- 

 bits Indian seas Pall. Spic. ZooL viii. pi. 4, fig. 6. 



Gen. 4. PEGASUS, 'Lin. 



Snout much elongated, depressed, with the mouth under its base; 

 body broad, depressed, covered with plates ; branchial open- 

 ings on the side ; two distinct ventral fins behind the pecto- 

 ral ones, which are very large ; dorsal and anal fins opposite. 



P. Draco, Lin. Dragon Pegasus. Thorax subquadrangular, with 

 several radiated shields or bony plates above and below ; a length-. 



