18 Mr. J . BlackwalPs Ornithological Notes. 



but the skin does not retain a trace of them. The dorsal fin had 

 an orange tinge, and the lateral line extended along the lower 

 third of the body. The distance of the vent from the end of the 

 operculum was 46 inches." 



We agree at once with Mr. Yarrell in pronouncing this to be 

 the same species as the Cullercoats fish, and it is confirmatory of 

 our opinion that the crest was really a continuation of the dorsal 

 fin. This Scotch specimen, like the English ones, was caught in 

 the spring, and makes the eighth British example of this fish, 

 which is therefore not so extremely rare as has been supposed. 



We observe that in the last Number of the ' Annals ? Professor 

 J. Reid of St. Andrews has given a highly interesting description 

 of what he believes to be the first British example of the Deal 

 fish, and we take the present opportunity of stating that in the 

 Newcastle Museum there is a specimen which was taken at New- 

 biggen on the Northumberland coast, June 18th, 1844. This 

 specimen is 5 ft. 5 in. long, and has 1 ft. maximum depth. The 

 body was of a silvery gray, the dorsal fin and tail red. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES I. and II. 

 Plate 1. 



Fig. 1. Anterior portion of Gymnetras Banksii, the jaws being slightly pro- 

 truded ; the dotted lines on the crest and ventral processes repre- 

 sent these parts as they are believed to have been originally, the 

 continuous lines represent them as they were seen by us. 



Fig. 2. Outline of section of body at part of greatest thickness, showing the 

 relative depth and thickness. 



Fig. 3. Outline of section of ditto, showing ditto ditto at 3 or 4 in. from tail. 



Fig. 4. Two of the radiated scale-like bodies from the silvery matter of the 

 skin. 



Fig. 5. Different forms of blood -globules, some shown on edge. 



Plate II. 



Fig. 1. Side view of G. Banksii in outline. 



Fig. 2. Side view of ditto, abdomen laid open, showing the viscera in situ : 

 a, oesophagus ; c c, caecal prolongation of stomach ; e, pancreatic 

 caeca covering duodenum; /, intestine; g, anus ; i, liver; /, ova- 

 ria ; m, ureter. 



Fig. 3. Plan of viscera removed from body : a, oesophagus ; b, stomach ; 

 c c, stomachic caecum ; d, pylorus ; e, pancreatic caeca surrounding 

 duodenum ; /, intestine ; g, anus ; h, spleen ; i, liver ; j, gall-blad- 

 der ; k, ductus communis choledochus ; /, ovaria ; m, ureter ; w, ve- 

 sical dilatation of ditto ; o, kidney ; p, supra-renal bodies. 



II. — Ornithological Notes. By John Blackwall, F.L.S. 



[Continued from vol. xix. p. 379.] 



The Great Gray Shrike, Lanius excubitor. 



Remarkable for the boldness and fierceness of its disposition, 

 this species of shrike is sometimes troublesome to birdcatchers 



