Fishes. 9369 
“ Polperro, May 26, 1863. 
“ Dear Sir,—Believing you will be somewhat anxious to receive 
some account of your little fish, I write you now after a full day’s 
examination of it, preferring to do so rather than wait to the time I 
may return it, which probably will not be for a week or so. The only 
account, so far as I know, of anything like it is in the fourth volume 
of Thomson’s ‘ Natural History of Ireland, where he describes one 
something similar, but supposes it to be the same as my ‘ mackerel 
midge.” From an attentive examination, however, of your specimen 
I am persuaded that this is a different fish, and consequently that 
yours is a new species, and even a new genus. It is true Thomson 
describes his as having the ventral fins in front of the pectorals, which 
is very different from what appears in yours; nor can I detect any 
ciliated membrane at the beginning of the back, nor yet any barbules 
in yours as in his. Thomson's fish also appears to be larger than 
yours. I do however, think they are the same, and shall introduce 
them as such in my ‘ Fishes,’ with a figure which I have taken from 
your specimen, and under the name of Thomson’s midge (Couchia 
Thomsoni).—Yours &c., J. CoucH.” 
From the foregoing it will be at once apparent to all in any way 
acquainted with these things that there is a decided and marked dif- 
ference betwixt the two fishes here alluded to, but whether generic, or 
a wrong description given by Thomson, remains to be seen. This we 
know, that as soon as the news of the discovery here reached the 
scientific world several individuals sent soliciting examples of what 
‘they were pleased to term the “ new fish,” and, amongst others, Dr. 
Gray, of London, sent for some specimens for the Home Department 
of the British Museum. 
It was only in April of last year that these fishes were first detected 
here, and were observed to remain only a few weeks, when they again 
disappeared, and nothing more was seen of them till May this year. 
This time they only remained a few days, but reappeared again towards 
the end of August, and continued until the second week of the present 
month (September). As this was a lucky chance, and one not to lose, 
we took a considerable number, not with the intent of destroying the 
beautiful little creatures, as beautiful they truly are, but for the purpose 
of ascertaining how they now stood as to size. Having satisfied our- 
selves in this, we committed the most of them again to their native 
element, and right glad they appeared to be on being once more set 
at liberty. From this examination we found that, although late in 
VON KK Uke 3T 
