78 



148; i. e. Albacore, Sloane, Hist, of Jam. 1. t. 1. f. p. 28.? Sat. 

 vulg. 



The length of the narrow produced fore-part of the second dorsal 

 fin varies from one-sixth to one-fourth part of the whole length of 

 the fish ; that of the pectoral fins is from one-fifth to one-fourth part 

 of the same, and their tips reach to the middle of the second dorsal 

 fin. Thus, in this latter point it is intermediate between the common 

 Tunny {T. vulgaris, L.) and the following new species (T*. obesus, 

 nob.) ; approaching most the latter. 



Pennant's figure is at least a tolerable representation of this very 

 distinct species, agreeing with it in its main points of difference from 

 the true T. vulgaris, L. It may be hoped that the attention of Bri- 

 tish Naturalists will be directed to this point. The proper season 

 for the Albacora in Madeira is September and October. 



Thynnus obesus. — "AtumPatudo."—T.corporeabbreviato: obeso: 

 pinnis acutis ; pectoralibus ad finem secundce dorsalis attingen- 

 tibus: oculis magnis. 



Vulgaris. 



This fish is constantly distinguished by the fishermen from the 

 common Tunny or " Atum Rabilha" (T. vulgaris, L.) by the larger 

 eye, and shorter thickset figure. The pectoral fins vary from one- 

 fourth to nearly one-sixth part of the whole length, their points 

 reaching to the end of the second dorsal fin. In T. vulgaris, L. the 

 tips of the pectoral fins reach only to the end of the first, or to the 

 beginning of the second dorsal fin. 



T. obesus is in greatest abundance earlier in the summer than T. 

 Albacora. In size it ranges next below T. vulgaris, L., not however 

 attaining above half the extreme size of that species ; nor much ex- 

 ceeding the full size of T. Albacora. 



Thynnus Alalonga, Cuv. and Val. — " Atum Avoador." — Cuv. and 

 Val. Hist. VIll. 120. t. 215. 



Orcynus Alalonga, 'R.hso,m. ^\[). Vulgaris. 



No difficulty can occur in the recognition of this species, from the 

 great length of the pectoral fins, which are one-third part of the 

 whole length, and reach to the end of the anal fin, or to the first 

 spurious finlet behind it. Its proper season is said to be January. 



Thyrsites acanthoderma. — " Escolar." 



Aplurus simplex, Syn. Mad. Fish. 180. 



This is the fish called in my Synopsis Aplurus simplex. It is a 

 true Thyrsites, Cuv. in every respect, except the structure of the skin, 

 a peculiarity which seems insufficient, in the absence of all other 

 characters, to warrant its generic separation.* 



Prometheus atlanticus, nob. — " Coelho." 



This also is again here mentioned only for the sake of remarking, 

 that further observations have gone far to prove the Maderan fish to 



* By an error in the punctuation, some descriptive observations at the 

 bottom of page 180 of my synopsis (Trans. Zool. Soc, vol. ii.), relating to 

 this fish, have been converted into a specific character. 



