3876 The Zoologist — February, 1874. 



Syngnalhiis and Hippocampus the animal usually assumes a vertical 

 position while progressing through the water. 



The John Doree (Zeiis/aber) affords us an example of the same 

 principle noticed in the Syngnathidae, applied to the purposes of 

 locomotion, though in a still more remarkable and extensive degree. 

 One of these singular-looking fish added to the Brighton tanks 

 about two months since has continued in perfect health up to the 

 present time ; and, although of shy and retiring habits, has already 

 yielded many points of interest in connection with its life-history. 

 The ordinary position assumed by this fish is the neighbourhood 

 of some projecting rock near the bottom of its tank, and against 

 which it sometimes inclines in a leaning posture, remaining motion- 

 less for hours together. Its ordinary progress from place to place 

 is remarkably slow, and it is only when on rare occasions it rises 

 high in the water that the beautiful mechanism that guides its 

 movements can be appreciated. It may then be seen that the 

 only organs called into action are the narrow and delicate mem- 

 branes of the posterior dorsal and anal fins, each of which vibrates 

 in a similar manner to the single dorsal of the pipe-fish ; the long 

 filamentous first dorsal, pectorals, ventrals, and caudal fins mean- 

 while remaining perfectly motionless. Thus this wary fish, with 

 an almost imperceptible action, silently and stealthily advances 

 upon its intended prey, cngulphing it in its cavernous mouth almost 

 before the hapless victim is aware of its enemy's approach. 



W. Saville Kent. 



Tfie Denizens of Aquariums.* By Edward Newman. 



Seals. — I am induced by Mr. Kent's able paper to make public 

 a few observations of my own, not very new or very recently made ; 

 and I will begin with seals, lung-breathing animals, which I fear 

 we shall never see at the Crystal Palace, on account of Mr. Lloyd's 

 conscientious objection to tlieir introduction, — an objection which 

 happily is not felt at Brighton, so that the visitors of that establish- 

 ment are there allowed the opportunity of observing the peculiar 

 actions of these most interesting animals. My first acquaintance 



* Having eschewed the language of Science for so long a period, I cannot adopt it 

 now : our friend Mr. Lloyd uses it in a preceding paper, doubtless fearful that his 

 continental friends might fail to understand our English plural aquariwrns, hut 

 1 cauuot persuade mj'sclf to follow him. 



