240 LOPIIOBRANCIIII. 



and removed the cause of its uneasiness. The fish was now placed in a 

 common wliite earthenware bowl, where it seemed to enjoy itself, 

 spreading out the fan-shaped tail on the bottom of the bowl, and moving 

 the head about, the entrance to the tubular jaws being at or near the 

 surface of the water. Mr. Yarrell mentions its power of expanding the 

 throat, but says nothing of the expansiveness of the tube. I do not 

 know if the diameter is variable (it expands to double its ordinary width, 

 W. T.), but the length is certainly so : for in an instant it becomes one- 

 half longer, or one-third shorter, than the moment before. During the 

 day it was in my custody its general position was that already mention- 

 ed, though it occasionally swam round the bowl." 



"This fish is abundant in Lough Foyle, the largest yet met with measured 1 

 ft. 3 in. It was a female and contained in its stomach several shrimps, some 

 broken, some whole." — Ordnance Mem. of Londonderry, p. 15. 



The Deep-nosed Pipe-fish, Syju/nathus Typhle, Linn., 



Has been obtained on the coasts of Antrim and Cork. 



In 1837, I recorded, in the Zool. Proc, the occurrence of one example 

 of this fish, taken on the coast of Cork ; and subsequently in the Annals 

 Nat. Hist., vol. ii., I published the following notice of the same specimen, 

 and of the only other Irish one which I have yet seen : — 



" Si/nffiiatkus Ti/phlc, Linn. Deep-nosed pipe-fish. — An individual of this 

 species above 8 inches in length, and obtained in 1835 at Glendore, County of 

 Cork, by Dr. AUman, has been forwarded for my inspection by Dr. R. Ball. 

 Among some small fishes taken along with Crustacea, &c., in Larne Lough 

 (County of Antrim), during the summer of 183G, by Mrs. Patterson of Belfast, 

 and very kindly sent to me, was a specimen of S. Typhle. Though only 1 inch 

 2 lines in length, every character in proportion to its size was as strongly mark- 

 ed as in the adult fish." — (An. Nat. History, vol. ii.) Youghal. Dr. Ball. 



Mr. Jenyns (p. 486) observes with reference to this species, that it is 

 equally common with the great pipe-fish, if not more so. This remark 

 does not apply to the Irish coast, so far as my own observations have 

 extended. 



The iEauoREAL Pipe-fish, Syngnatlms ^quo7'et(s, Linn., 



Is occasionally taken on all sides of the island. 



As recorded by me in the 2nd vol. of the Annals Nat. Hist. : — * 



" Syngnatlms yHquorens, Linn, ^quoreal pipe-fish. — A specimen of this 

 fish taken at Youghal (County Cork) has been submitted to my examination by 

 Dr. Ball. Its length is 19 inches, rays of dorsal fin 40. It corresponds in all 

 respects with this species, as admirably characterized by Mr. Jenyns (p. 486) ; 

 as also does another individual obtained in the autumn of 1836, on the beach 

 near Larne (County Antrim), by Mr. James Manks of that town, who presents 

 ed it to the Belfast Museum. This specimen is 21^ inches long, but being im- 

 perfect at the caudal extremity must when entire have been at least one inch 

 more. Its D. rays 41. — March 15th, 1838. I received from George Matthews, 

 Esq., of Spring-vale (County Down), a perfect and beautiful specimen of this 

 fish, which was found on the beach there after a high tide during the boisterous 

 weather about the beginning of this month. Its length is 22^ inches. D. rays 

 46 ; caudal fin apparent to the naked eye ; its rays, distinguished by a lens, 8 

 in number. This Syngnathus was in the present instance preserved and for- 



* See also Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837 



