TAKEN OFF THE COAST OF NORTHUMBERAND. 309 
Macduff, after a severe north-easterly gale in March, 1844. It 
is thus described :—“ Length without the tail, which was wanting, 
12 ft., greatest depth 12 in., greatest thickness 2? in. The dor- 
sal fin was 24 in. in height, and extended from the back of the 
head to a point near the tail. Rays in the dorsal fin, apart from 
its anterior elongation on the head, 264. Filaments rising from 
the head, 15 ; the longest measuring 27 inches. They were con- 
nected at the base by a thin membrane, similar in consistency to 
that which connects the rays of the dorsal fin, and are evidently 
a continuation of that fin. The pectoral fin is 25 in. long, the 
rays 12in. The ventrals consisted of two filaments 3 ft. in length. 
They were fringed with a thin membrane on two sides, and had 
evidently been broken. The head was 9 in. long from the point 
of the lower jaw to the end of the operculum. The whole body 
was covered with a delicate silvery white membrane, under which 
appeared a series of tuberculated and smooth bands, extending 
over the whole length of the body ; twelve of these bands occu- 
pied the space above the lateral line. When the fish was in a 
fresh state these bands did not appear distinctly, but when the 
skin was taken off they appeared distinct enough. Behind the 
pectoral fins appeared a few narrow dark bands extending across 
the fish ; these were quite distinct when the fish was in a fresh 
state, 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,” Pro- 
fessor J. Reid, of St. Andrews, has given a highly interesting des- 
cription 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 Newbiggen, on the Northumberland coast, June 18th, 1844. 
