hawken's gymnetrus. 189 



to the MediteiTanean, two to the seas of the North of 

 Europe, and two to India, One Northern species, besides 

 one of those apparently belonging to India, has been taken 

 on the shores of this country. That of the North has oc- 

 curred more than once in Scotland ; that of India, once on 

 the coast of Cornwall. Figures of both are inserted in this 

 work, rather with a view to invite investigation of such rare 

 species should they again occur, than from any novelty now 

 to be communicated. 



A fish apparently of the species called by Bloch Gymne- 

 trus Hawkenii was drawn on shore dead in a net at Newlin, 

 on the western side of Mount's bay, on the south coast of 

 Cornwall, in February 1791 ; from a large original drawing 

 of which, with notes, in the possession of William Rashleigh, 

 Esq. of Menabilly in that county, Mr. Couch's account of 

 it is derived. It is as follows : — 



" The length, without the extremity of the tail, which 

 was wanting, was eight and a half feet ; the depth ten and a 

 half inches ; thickness two and three-quarter inches ; weight 

 forty pounds. In the drawing, the head ends in a short 

 and elevated snout ; eye large ; pectoral fin round ; no anal 

 fin ; the dorsal fin reaches from above the eye to the tail. 

 In the drawing, as well as in Bloch's engraving, the caudal 

 fin is supplied. The ventrals are formed of four long red 

 processes, proceeding from the thorax, and ending in a 

 fan-shaped appendage, of which the base is purple, the expan- 

 sion crimson. The back and belly are dusky green, the 

 sides whitish ; the whole varied with clouds and spots of a 

 darker green ; the fins crimson." 



The account given by Bloch is as follows : — 



" This fish was sent to me by Mr. Hawken : from him 

 also I received the drawing. He wrote me at the same time, 

 that the fish Avas cauffht near Goa, in the Indian Sea, on 



