1879.] OF WESTON-SUPER-MARE. 759 



last few seasons I understand that they have greatly decreased in 

 numbers in the Wye. As the floods at the earlier part of this year 

 entirely precluded their capture at the mouth of the latter river, it 

 is to be presumed that there will be an augmented supply in May 

 and June 1880, should the season be favourable for fishing. 



Clupea pilchardus, Walb. The Pilchard. (Plate LXII. 

 fig. 1.) 



A few stragglers are said occasionally to be taken off Weston. 

 Observing a great diversity in the various descriptions of this fish, 

 I applied to Mr. Dunn of Megavissey, who kindly forwarded me 

 about a dozen, one half of which were spotted along the sides, the 

 remainder being spotless. The following are the various formularies 

 given for this fish : — 



Donovan. D. 18, P. 16, V. 8, A. 17, C. 32. (L. 1. shown as 



distinct in figure, with about 31 scales.) 

 Yarrell. B. viii. D. 18, P. 16, V. 8, A. 18, C. 19. Scales 



" verv large." 

 Cuv.& Val.D. 17, P. 17, V. 6, A. 21, C. 18, L. 1. 29. Case. 



pyl. innumerable. 

 Couch. D. 18, P. 16, V. 8, C. 22, L. 1. (about 37 in figure). 

 Gunther. B. vi. D. 17-18, V. 6, A. 18-19, L. 1. 47-48. 



Caec. pyl. 7- 



Thus the number of scales along the body in this fish vary accor- 

 ding to different authors from 29 to 48 ; the ventral fin rays from 

 6 to 8, and the csecal appendages between "seven" and "in- 

 numerable." Taking some fine examples of Pilchards sent to me 

 by Mr. Matthias Dunn, I found them as follows : — 



D. 18, P. 19, V.8, A. 17-18, C. 19, L. 1. 29-30, L. tr. 9. 



Csec. pyl. numerous. From 1 7 to 1 9 scutes before the base of the ven- 

 tral fin, and 14 posterior to it. The proportions being shown in the 

 figure (Plate LXII.), it is unnecessary to advert to them. The cajcal 

 appendages were very numerous, and much shorter in some examples 

 than in others. The sole British Clupea that I have met with having 

 only 7 appendages is 0. sprattus, which, however, has 47-48 scales 

 along the lateral line. Therefore I cannot think that Clupea sagax, 

 Jenyns, from the Pacific coast of America, Japan, and New Zealand, 

 is "so closely allied to the European Pilchard that it might be more 

 properly described as a climatal variety " (Giiuther, Catal. vii. 

 p. 444) ; for though the number of dorsal and anal fin-rays is the 

 same, instead of having L. 1. 29-30, L. tr. 9, it has L. 1. 50-54, L. tr. 

 13 — a conclusive proof that the two ought not to be classed as 

 varieties of one species. However, I think I am now in a position 

 to explain this remarkable discrepancy in the number of scales as 

 given by various authors. I received a scaleless (but otherwise 

 beautiful) example of Pilchard, 83 inches in length, from Mr. Dunn, 

 Proc. Zool. Soc— 1879, No. XLIX. 49 



