THE llEU BAND-FISII, 97 



Its length is IG inches ; breadth exclusive of fins 9 inches ; fins, upper, 

 about 8 inches ; under, about 7." * 



This specimen Avas exhibited by Dr. Harvey at the Cork Meeting of 

 the British Association, in 1843, (see Cork Fauna, p. 19, note,) and is 

 now in the Dublin University Museum. 



In June, 1849, the following paragraph appeared in The Derry Stand- 

 ard : — 



" A Rare Fish. — The Opah Dorey. — A fish, which is rarely met with in the 

 Irish Channel, or adjoining the Irish coast, was caught at InnistrahuU, not far 

 from the light-house, and brought to the fish-market here, on Wednesday last, 

 which excited a good deal of curiosity. In shape it bears a strong resemblance 

 to the turbof , but still more solid, weighing, although not apparently large in size, 

 upwards of 55 lbs. The fins, which are placed near the shoulder, are of a 

 blood-red colour, and the entire skin is beautifully variegated with spots of black, 

 yellow, red, and gold-coloured hues. On exammation, by persons versed in 

 natural history, it was found to belong to the celebrated ' John Dorey ' tribe ; 

 being, in fact, one of the Opah Dorey variety. In the year 1835, a fish of the 

 same rare description is stated, in the Ordnance Survey, to have been caught 

 in the Foyle." 



A beautiful specimen of this fish was taken at Wexford, in August, 

 1849— weight 59 lbs.— Dr. Ball. 



On 2nd July, 1850, an Opah was seen struggling at low water in one of 

 the gullets of Belfast Bay, off Whitehouse, at 1\ miles from town. A 

 little boy, who observed it, succeeded in effecting its capture by putting 

 his handkerchief round its gills. This specimen is now in the Belfast 

 Museum. 



" A very fine specimen was captured near Skerries, in 1851, and is now in the 

 University Museum." — R. Ball. 



Family T.ENIOIDEI. 



The Red Band-fish or Red Snake-fish, Cepola rubescens, Linn., 



Has been obtained on the Southern and Western coasts. 



The following is an extract from a letter received from Dr. Farran, 

 dated 31st August, 1850 : — " I mentioned the occurrence of Cepola rubes- 

 cens to you in this locality. The specimen I procured was thrown ashore 

 at Stradbally, in this County, after a heavy gale, in Dec, 1848. The 

 fishermen state that it is of frequent occurrence, its habitat lying in the 

 forests of sea-weeds which grow about the coast." 



[We have been informed by Dr. Ball that several specimens of this fish, 

 which have since been captured by Professor Melville on the Western 

 coast, are now in the Dublin University Museum. — Ed.] 



The annexed notes on the Red Band-fish were contributed by me to 

 the Magazine of Nat. Hist., new series, 1838, p. 214 : — 



" A remarkably fine specimen of this fish, which, as British, was, until last 

 year,f known only to the southern shores of England, was found on the beach 



* The length of the dorsal and ventral fins in this specimen is much greater 

 proportionately than in any figure or specimen seen by Dr. Ball. 



f When the above was written, I had overlooked the following note, which 

 appeared in the Magazine of Zoology and Botany, for June, 1837, (vol. ii. p. 

 93). — " Cepola rubescens, Linn. — Dr. P. W. Maclagan informs us, that he has 

 lately procured a specimen of this fish, which was caught olf Dunure, seven 

 miles south of Ayr, on a whiting-line, baited with a mussel. Its length is 15| 

 inches. The fisherman who brought it had seen another about six weeks ago. 

 —March 20th, 1837." 



II 



