304- Miscellaneous. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



CAPTURE OF CENTROLOPHUS POMPIL.US. 



To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 



Falmouth, August 29, 1850. 

 Gentlemen, — A fine specimen of the Black fish, Centrolophus 

 pompilus, Cuv. et Val., was caught by the teeth in a drift net, Au- 

 . gust 27, 1850, in this neighbourhood. An accurate representation 

 (woodcut) of the fifth Cornish fish will be found in Mr. Yarrell's 

 ' British Fishes,' vol. i. p. 179, 2ud ed. This rare fish is in the pos- 

 session of A. Fox, Esq., to whom I am indebted for an examination. 

 I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant, 



W. P. Cock. 



Description. — Body elongate, broad, compressed, covered with mi- 

 nute thin scales. Colour bluish black ; fins black, dark steel-gray where 

 the scales had been rubbed oflF. Lateral line crooked. Head obtuse, 

 roundedln front. Eyes large, l^ths of an inch in diameter. Sclerotic 

 coat firm, grayish white ; a black line encircled the cornea at its junc- 

 tion with the sclerotica. Cornea f ths of an inch in diameter. Irides 

 as bright as burnished silver ; pupils large and dark. Skin (palpebrse) 

 surrounding the eyes channeled transversely. Nostrils double, oval, 

 open, the one nearest the eye f ths, the other ith of an inch in dia- 

 meter. Edge of aperture strengthened by a doubling of the mem- 

 brane. Teeth numerous in each jaw, very minute, palate free. Mouth 

 small, \\ inch from the angle to the centre of lip ; from angle of 

 mouth to root of pectoral fin 3-1- inches. The free edge of the pre- 

 operculum serrated. Gill-rays five. Gills flaccid, of a dirty pale 

 yellowish flesh-colour, and covered with purulent matter. The fish, 

 although fresh, had a very peculiar and powerful odour. 



Length from tip of nose to root of caudal fin 17 inches. 



Length of caudal fin 3^ 



Depth of body (fins not included) 4\ 



Thickness 2^ 



Length of dorsal fin 9^. 



Depth 1». 



Length of pectoral fin 2^ 



Length of abdominal fin 1^ 



Length of ventral fin 5| 



The lower jaw was fractured, and the gill-rays on the right side 

 lacerated, supposed to have been caused by the violent efforts made 

 by the fish to clear itself from the meshes of the net. 



Notices q/* Acalephae ybwwc? at Lowestoft, August 1850. 

 By T. Brightwell, F.L.S. 



1 . Great numbers of the genus Cydippe occur, cast up on the shore, 

 and in the recently constructed harbour at Lowestoft. They differ 

 much in size and form, some being more elongate and much larger 

 than others, but all of the same species. In the stomach of one of 

 the larger ones a small shrimp was discernible. In calm weather 

 these animals come in great abundance to the top of the water. 



