1882. 



MR. F. DAY ON ANGUILLA KIENERI. 



537 



CoUett has remarked, to determine the species of this genus is at all 

 times difficult, owing to the unsatisfactory condition of the older type 

 specimens, as well as the great individual variations in proportions, 

 colour, and amount of scaling that occur among examples of the 

 same species, and which may sometimes be due to sexual conditions. 

 It admits of the clearest proof that the young and adult indivi- 

 duals of the same species exhibit marked dissimilarity. 



The example is 3i inches in length ; its head is one seventh of the 

 total length, and the greatest height of the body one fourteenth of the 

 total length ; the height of the head is two fifths of its length, and 

 but little less than its width. Eyes comparatively large, being 

 about one fourth of the length of the head, one diameter from the 

 end of the snout, and less than one diameter apart. Teeth in the 



>< 



lycodes kieneri (Gimtlier), f • 



jaws, vomer, and palate. Scales existing from the head and back of 

 the pectoral fin backwards over the body. It seems as if only one 

 lateral line were present. The fins are too much stiffened for it to be 

 possible to count the fin-rays ; the pectoral turned forwards reaches 

 the middle of the eye ; the ventrals, consisting of one or two rays 

 each, are rather more than half as long as the eye. No open glands 

 are visible on the cheeks and gill-covers ; but three are placed along 

 the edge of the upper jaw, and some along the lower jaw. 



My principal reasons for directing attention to this specimen are, 

 first, to point out that the Mediterranean Angiiilla kieneri has not 

 yet been obtained from our coasts, and consequently is not entitled 

 to any place in the British Fauna ; secondly, to show that the 

 Arctic genus Lycodes is represented by this wrongly determined 

 specimen. But to what species the fish belongs I do not consider sufti- 

 cient data are at hand ou which to form a definite opinion. 



36* 



