350 THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



Body compressed, slightly elevated, its greatest depth being equal 

 to one-fourth of the distance between the snout and the end of the 

 middle tail-fin rays ; length of head scarcely equal to more than one- 

 half of the distance between the snout and the origin of the back-fin. 

 Head compressed ; interorbital space convex, its width being less than 

 twice the diameter of the eye. Jaws of the male of equal length in 

 front ; teeth very small (by which character alone, according to Dr. 

 Giinther, these fish may be distinguished from all the other allied 

 British or Continental species), 4 in each intermaxillary, 16 in each 

 maxillary. Length of the pectoral fin equal to, or rather more than 

 that of the head, terminating at no great distance from the ventral fin. 

 Back-fin rays 13 or 14. 125 transverse series of scales above the 

 lateral line. Colour : sides with scattered orange-coloured dots ; belly 

 silvery whitish, or with a light shade ofred-,jfins blackish (thus differing 

 entirely from both the other species). 



In a male specimen 10^ inches long the ray-formulary was 



D. 13 (or 14) : A. 12 : P. 13 (or 14) * : V. 9. 



Nostrils situated midway between the end of the snout and the for- 

 ward margin of the eyeball ; the hinder nostril wide and round, the 

 forward one being a very narrow vertical slit ; both separated by a 

 narrow cutaneous bridge. Maxillary bone extending as far back as the 

 hinder margin of the eye, armed with 16 very small teeth, the hinder 

 ones being quite rudimentary. All the other teeth small, 4 in each 

 intermaxillary bone, 12 in each mandible, 2 to 4 on the vomer, 15 on 

 each bone of palate, and 4 pairs (8) on tongue. Scales very conspi- 

 cuous, and comparatively much larger than in the other British spe- 

 cies ; those on the back very distinct. Gill-covers silvery, not overlap- 

 ping root of pectoral fin, which is entirely free. Vertebrae 60. 



A tolerably close examination of the characteristics of 

 these three species will probably enable the Naturalist to 

 identify either of them he may meet with ; but, as before 

 stated, they are rarely caught with the fly or any other sort 

 of bait. Except at the time of spawning, they inhabit the 



* The figures in brackets show the variations in different specimens. 



