750 MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHES [Dec. 2, 



examining it, I found three csecal appendages, whereas this fish is 

 usually stated only to possess two. 



Xiphias gladius, Linn. The Sword-fish. 



The cast of an example exists in the Weston Museum, taken by 

 Mr. Mable from a specimen 9 feet long, which was captured near 

 the town, at Burnham, in the summer of 18/3. Its snout and 

 fins are likewise preserved. On its left side, opposite the hind 

 edge of the first anal fin, existed a large cicatrix, evidently due to a 

 wound, which had nearly transfixed the fish, there being a spot on 

 the opposite side showing to where the injury had extended. It does 

 not seem improbable that this wound may have been inflicted by 

 another individual of the same species. In the daily newspapers 

 the capture of one of these fish in the Wye, on October 9th, is an- 

 nounced. It strayed up during the night, and was left stranded at 

 Chepstow on the ebb making. Length 8 feet 6 inches ; snout 

 3 feet long ; weight 200 lb. 



I was particularly desirous of examining the Gobies of Weston, 

 as Couch has figured and described several supposed new species 

 or Mediterranean forms from that locality. Every ichthyologist 

 will admit the difficulty of 'solving questions of species, especially 

 among Gobies, when the author omits to mention the number of the 

 fin-rays, makes no remarks on the scales or teeth, while the size 

 of the published figures does not accord with that of the speci- 

 men as described in the text. Finding myself completely at a 

 loss, I determined to collect these fishes at Weston, whence the 

 Yellow Goby, the One-spotted Goby, the Speckled Goby, the Trans- 

 parent Goby, and the Slender Goby had been obtained. While 

 demurring to the value of some of these species, it must not be over- 

 looked that in the following identifications of Couch's text and plates 

 I have had to be guided very considerably by colour and form, while, 

 on the other hand, our examples came from the same locality. 



Gobius minutus, Gmel., Linn. ; Donovan, pi. xxxviii. ; Yarrell ; 

 Parnell. 



This species was very numerous ; some examples agreed with G. 

 unipunctatus, Parnell, and One-spotted Goby, Couch, and probably 

 G. gracilis, Jenyns ; while the Tail-spotted Goby of Couch is perhaps 

 the young. 



Gobius ruthensparri, Euph. 



Not uncommon. Couch's Two-spotted Goby is this species, while 

 his Broad-finned Goby may be the male. 



Gobius rhodopterus, Giinther. 



Not rare. It is identical with G. minutus, Couch, and G. gracilis, 

 Parnell and Yarrell (not Jenyns). The female differs considerably in 

 colour from the male, while its fins are lower. It appears to be the 

 Yellow Goby of Couch, not of Risgo. 



