OCCASIONAL NOTES. 221 
it that it had been secured alive, I was in great hopes of being able to draw 
up something like a satisfactory description; judge my disappointment 
and mortification, I will not say anger, when the fish reached me, to find 
that it was so horribly mutilated by being hacked and stabbed with knives 
to deprive it of life, that it utterly baffled all powers of description, save the 
few meagre words which follow. Had it been the veritable sea-serpent 
come to swallow them all up, it could not have been more badly treated. 
When whole its length had been nearly four feet, breadth at centre eight 
inches, greatest thickness about an inch and a quarter, the rest of the body 
being much thinner. The dorsal fin extends the whole length, and where 
uninjured is over four inches in height; the pectorals and caudal are 
wanting. [This is at variance with the description given by Couch, vol. ii., 
p. 248.—Ep.] The head is large, but, like the body, much compressed. 
There are very sharp teeth in both jaws. The colour of the body and head 
is of a bright and delicate silvery hue. This colouring-matter seems to 
have but the very slightest possible hold of the skin, for it comes off with 
the slightest touch, giving the finger as silvery a look as the fish. This is, 
I think, rather a peculiar fact, and one which I do not think I ever observed 
in any other species. The dorsal seems to have been of a bright red or 
pinkish colour, having in many places that tinge still. The lateral line, 
which is almost straight, is armed throughout its whole length with 
numerous sharp-pointed spines. The keel of the belly, too, is beset along 
its length, and on both sides, with small warty-like protuberances. If I 
might be allowed to express an opinion, from the remains I would say that 
it had certainly been a most beautiful specimen in the truest sense of the 
term. Its bright silvery lustre I must say, even in death, was most resplen- 
dent, glossy, and almost dazzling. What must be the appearance and 
reflection of these gems of the ocean when undulating through their watery 
way! Would it not be a sight worth seeing ?—Taomas Epwarp (Banff). 
[* Vaagmar,” it appears, is the Icelandic name for this fish, whose home 
is in the icy portion of the northern ocean. Few instances of its occurrence 
on our coasts have been recorded; the last we remember to have heard of 
was one which was washed ashore at Thurso in July, 1877.—Eb.] 
Boar-FIsH ON THE DorseTsHIRE Coast.—A number of Boar-fish 
(Capros aper) were washed ashore on the sand-banks at Poole during the 
night of the 80th March; and as this fish is considered to be rather rare 
in British waters, the occurrence is worth noticing, As some of those 
captured were found to contain spawn, it is possible that they came to 
deposit their spawn on our warm sandy shore, and were washed ashore 
and stranded by the heavy sea which at that time prevailed in our bay ; 
but this is only conjecture. They live, I have little doubt, amongst the 
rocks, and so are seldom caught in the trawl net. They are lovely little 
fish, measuring from five to six inches in length; their colour is pink 
