42 



MR. E. G. BOULKXGER ON 



back, though in form and colour they resemble the estuarine race. 

 I have examined several specimens in the British Museum from 

 the Ouckmere, presented by Mr. Byrne, but find that both in 

 appearance as well as in the number of scales they agree with 

 6r. microps. 



It seemed desirable to make sure, by reference to the original 

 description, which of the two species so often confounded should 

 bear the name of Gohms minutus. Tliis name was proposed by 

 Pallas* for the fish {'^ Maris JBelgici" ) described in a rather 

 puzzling manner by Gronoviust, who gives the nxnnber of fin- 

 TSijs characteristic of G. micro'ps, while, on the other hand, the 

 total length " tres uncias" (about 80 mm.) can apply only to the 

 larger species. It is highly probable, however, that Gronovius 

 had before him examples of both species from the Belgian coast j, 

 and that he noted the number of fin-rays from the smaller fish 

 and added to his description the size attained by the larger. 

 Gmelin's§ diagnosis " albicans ferrugineo maculatus, ... D. 6, 11. 

 A. 11 " can only apply to G. minutus of most authors. 



It is therefore satisfactory to find that no objection can be 

 raised to the retention for the two species of the names used by 

 the Scandinavian and other authors who have distinguished them. 



The following is a tabulation of the specimens of the two 

 species from Roscoff || : — 



G. minutus. 



* Spicil. Zool. viii. p. 4 (1770). 



t Zoophylacium, p. 81. no. 276 (1763). 



J Specimens of both G. minuius and Gr. microps from the Belg-ian coast were 

 sent to the British Museum by the late Prof. E. van Bent'den, and measurements 

 of these will be found in the table at the end of this paper. The two species have 

 hitherto been confounded by Belgian authors under the name of G. minutus. 



§ Syst. Nat. i. p. 1199 (1788). 



jl In these tables the length (in millimetres) is taken from the end of the snout to 

 the base of the caudal fin. The scales are counted in a longitudinal series from the 

 upper extremity of the gill-opening to the root of the caudal fiu, 



