ADDITIONS TO THE FAUNA OF CORNWALL. 159 



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 descrip- 

 tion and figure, a lateral line, which becapae 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 examj)le ; 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 diff"erence 

 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 re- 

 ceived, 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 ordinary 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 cohering was double, being formed of " two 

 short bony triangular 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. 



Vai"iation of colour is less t#be regarded when occurring in 

 fishes from diff"erent regions ; but in this case the specimen is de- 

 scribed 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 mem- 

 brane, with Vermillion 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. 



