78 



On the British specimens of Regalecus. 

 Esq., F.R.S. &c. 



By J. E. Gray, 



The occurrence of a specimen of Regalecus on the coast of North- 

 umberland, which is now being exhibited in Regent-street, has in- 

 duced me to communicate the following remarks which I have col- 

 lected connected with the history of its former occurrence in this 

 country, some of which appear to have escaped the researches of our 

 British naturahsts. 



Though the materials here referred to are mentioned by M. Valen- 

 ciennes in the tenth volume of the ' Histoire des Poissons,' the refer- 

 ence is so indistmct and indefinite that it has not enabled British 

 naturalists to discover where they were to be seen. 



On a very accurate drawing of a fish of this genus, bound up with 

 other notes on British fishes, at the end of a 4to copy of Pennant's 

 British Zoology of 1776, which is contained in the library of the late 

 Sir Joseph Banks, now forming part of the library of the British 

 Museum, is the following, the head of which is reduced two-thirds in 

 the following figure : — 



" On Saturday the 23rd day of February, 1 788, was caught near 

 Newlyn Quay, on the sand at ebb-tide, a fish which measured in 

 length 8 feet 4 inches, breadth 1 inches, and thickness 2^ inches ; 

 weight 40 lbs." 



The drawing is inscribed, by another hand, "Regalecus Glesne, 

 Ascan. Icon. t. 1 1 ; Miiller, Z. D. n. 355. R. remipes, Nov. Act. 

 Hafn. n. 414 ;" and on the margin there is added in another hand 

 the following note : — 



"N.B. A gentleman who saw this fish informed Capt. Chemmuig 

 (Chelnwyn ?) that the tail was not perfect, and supposed it was ori- 

 ginally longer than is represented." 



The body of the fish is silvered, with obscure indications of darker 

 cross-bands, and the fins are all salmon-coloured ; the first ray of the 

 dorsal over the eyes is elongated and bent down over the front of the 

 head, and each of the two ventral fins ends in an ovate radiated appen- 

 dage. 



