336 SYNGNATHID.E. 



ralists* 1 Club, who obtained it on the coast of that or the 

 adjoining county; and for the other to Mr. Couch. By 

 communication from F. C. Lukis, Esq. I learn also, that 

 this species, which I believe to be rare in England, occurs at 

 Guernsey. 



I can add but little to the description of Montagu, and 

 shall therefore adopt it, with some slight modifications. 



" Length twenty inches and a half, viz. ten to the vent, 

 and ten and a half to the end of the tail ;" the length of the 

 head is to the whole length of the fish as one to twelve : 

 " the snout is similar in form to that of S. acus ; its length 

 to the eye three-quarters of an inch ; from thence to the 

 end of the gill-cover, including the eye, one inch : the form 

 of the body is rather compressed and angular, with an acute 

 dorsal and abdominal ridge, which, together with three slight 

 angles on each side, give it an octangular appearance : it 

 is of equal size from the gills to the vent, which part con- 

 tains about thirty plates ; from the vent to the extremity 

 of the tail it is first quadrangular, and towards the end, 

 round and taper, containing about thirty-six plates : imme- 

 diately behind the vent, the body of this specimen suddenly 

 decreases to one-third less in diameter ; but this may be a 

 sexual distinction." 



" The dorsal fin consists of forty rays, commencing in a 

 vertical line considerably before the vent, and terminating be- 

 hind it, so that three-fourths of the fin is before the ventral 

 aperture. The end of the tail is extremely small and com- 

 pressed, the rays of which are not visible to the naked eye. 

 The colour is yellowish, with transverse pale lines and dark 

 margins, one in each joint, and another down the middle 

 of each plate, giving it the appearance of possessing double 

 the number of joints it really has ; these markings, however, 

 cease at the vent."" 



