Miscellaneous. 425 



once proceeded to the spot, where to their astonishment they found 

 a large fish, in ahout four feet of water, lashing away with its powerful 

 tail, evidently intent on beating a hasty retreat. After an obstinate 

 resistance, in which the men were half drowned, and one of them 

 severely wounded, this strange visitor was secured, and brought with 

 all dispatch into the Falmouth fish-market. Fortunately I was close 

 at hand when sent for, and consequently had an excellent opportunity 

 of making a minute examination of the creature while still alive. It 

 measured 4 feet in length, and weighed over a hundredweight. It 

 was without exception one of the most beautiful sights the eye could 

 light upon, the whole surface of the body presenting the appearance 

 of most highly pohshed silver, having a most brilliant coating of the 

 richest scarlet. The silvery colour of the belly, as m the mackerel, 

 &c., presented a variety of evanescent tints, which with the death of 

 the fish totally disappeared. A month or so since, a scarlet and 

 silver fish was taken at Grorranhaven and examined by Mr. Couch ; 

 but of this example I have never seen a detailed or authenticated 

 report, consequently I am wholly at a loss to decide as to whether 

 the two examples are identical or not. I am strongly of opinion 

 that the fish captured here yesterday is no other than the scarlet and 

 silver fish of the Mediterranean, although there is a strange discre- 

 pancy in the size of this and Mr. Couch's example. I have taken a 

 sketch and also a minute description of the creature as it appeared 

 whilst alive ; so that I have no doubt whatever of being able in a 

 day or two to assign it its legitimate place in our British fauna. 



" Yours very truly, 



"W. K. BULLMORE, M.D." 



" 1 Stratton Place, Falmouth, 

 "Oct. 1, 1866." 



[To Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S. ^c] 



Dear Sir, — It vnll be a matter of interest to you, and perhaps of 

 surprise, to be informed that another example of Cuvier's Ausonia 

 has presented itself to us. It came among the rocks close to Fal- 

 mouth, and, after a stout resistance, was safely landed. It is about 

 the same size as the former example, and resembles the drawing I 

 sent for comparison, but with some differences, mostly, however, as 

 regards colour, which was a bright scarlet over silver, the dorsal, 

 anal, and border of the tail blue. A coloured figure of it is in my 

 possession, and the fish itself will be preserved at Penzance. 



It seems not a little remarkable that two examples of so rare a fish 

 should run themselves ashore, at places not distant from each other, 

 within comparatively so short a time. 



I am, dear Sir, 

 Yours truly, 



Jonathan Couch. 

 Polperro, Oct. 6, 1866. 



Ann. i^ Mag. N. Hist. Ser.3. Fo/. xviii. 29 



