EUROPEAN HEMIBAMPHUS. 



ABDOMINAL 



MALACOPTERYGII. ESOCID^. 



EUROPEAN HEMIRAMPHUS. 



Hemiramphus Europeeus, 



Hemiramphus EuropcEus, European Hemiramphus, Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837,p.505. 



In a valuable communication on the Fishes of Cornwall, 

 made to the Linnean Society some years ago by Jonathan 

 Couch, Esq. of Polperro, which was published in the four- 

 teenth volume of the Transactions of that Society, the author 

 thus expresses himself in reference to a small fish which ap- 

 peared to be a species of the genus Hemiramphus : — " I 

 have met with a species which I have never seen described, 

 unless it be the Esox Brasiliensis Linn. Syst. Nat. (Hemi- 

 ramphus Brasiliensis Cuv.) It was taken by me in the 

 harbour at Polperro, in July 1818, as it was swimming with 

 agility near the surface of the water. It was about an inch 

 in length, the head somewhat flattened at the top, the upper 

 jaw short and pointed, the inferior jaw much protruded, 

 being at least as long as from the extremity of the upper jaw 

 to the back part of the gill-covers. The mouth opened ob- 

 liquely downwards ; but that part of the under jaw which 

 protruded beyond the extremity of the upper, passed straight 

 forward in a right line with the top of the head. The body 

 was compressed, lengthened, and resembled that of the Gar- 

 pike, Esox belone. It had one dorsal and one anal fin, 

 placed far behind and opposite to each other. The tail was 

 straight ; the colour of the back was a bluish green, with a 

 few spots ; the belly silvery." 



