I860.] MR. J. COUCH ON AUSON1A CUVIERJt. 335 



place. As it was entirely unknown (as far as he could learn) to all 

 naturalists, he assigned to it the generic and specific name of Proc- 

 tostegus, from Greek words which are expressive of the remarkable 

 valve that covers and conceals the vent — a character which seems 

 to he singular in this family of fishes. It was observed that this 

 valve or covering was raised or let down by a voluntary action of 

 the fish. The shape of the fish he compares in some degree to 

 that of the Coryphcena, which is the Dolphin of sailors : the body 

 without scales, but with some roughness on the surface ; the mouth 

 small and half circular, and without teeth ; branchial rays three or 

 four. He assigns to it, both in his description and figure, a lateral 

 line, which became more distinct when the skin was dry ; and he 

 notices a rosy tinge on the lower surface of the body. The anal fin 

 had fourteen rays, pectoral sixteen, and the vertebrae were counted 

 as twenty. The inner surface of the stomach was studded with 

 fleshy processes such as I have described ; and in its cavity was 

 found seaweed mingled with slime, a circumstance which explains 

 the nature of its food. The substance of this fish is said to resemble 

 beef, and to be of delicious flavour. 



In Dr. Giinther's * Catalogue,' already referred to, there is a 

 lengthened description of a species of this genus, which is supposed 

 to be the same as that described by the Italian naturalists, and 

 consequently as the Cornish example ; but between the latter and 

 that which had come under the observation of Mr. Lowe there are 

 some important differences, which appear to point to a difference of 

 species. Thus in the fish of Madeira, in front of the dorsal fin a 

 separate spine was seated in a groove, into which it could be received, 

 and there is also mention of a spine in front of the anal ; but neither 

 separate spine nor groove existed in our fish. Also, instead of a 

 single and somewhat thickened cover, which, perhaps, in its ordi- 

 nary condition lay flat on the vent (which portion of its body, from 

 its apparent tenderness, seemed to require protection), in Mr. Lowe's 

 fish this covering was double, being formed of " two short bony tri- 

 angular prismatic spines, covering the vent like a pair of folding- 

 doors." There were also " perfectly distinct" teeth in a single row 

 in both jaws, and the hindmost rays of the dorsal fin were feebly 

 branched. 



Variation of colour is less to be regarded when occurring in fishes 

 from different regions ; but in this case the specimen is described as 

 of a uniform iridescent pale steel or lead, reflecting rosy, lilac, or 

 purple tints towards the back, silvery towards the belly and about 

 the head ; the dorsal and anal fins black in the membrane, with 

 vermilion rays ; pectoral fin 7 inches long, bright vermilion, as also 

 the caudal ; ventrals, as they are termed, flesh-coloured ; the spine 

 in front of the dorsal and anal fins whitish. The patches of the 

 crust of the body were of a pale pink or dirty white tint ; inside of 

 the mouth purplish or dark mulberry-red. In none of these parti- 

 culars did it resemble our fish. 



