264 CYCLOSTOMI. 



" Before publishing a notice of the Irish Cephaloptera in 1835, I referred to 

 the R. Fabroniana of Lacepbde, and considered the specimen as having about 

 much the same resemblance to it as to the C. Giorna, but preferred adopting 

 the latter name. Miiller and Henle, in their great work on the ' Plagiostomen,' 

 the highest authority extant on the subject (published in 1841), brought the two 

 names together as representing but one species, and adopted for it Risso's term, 

 Cephaloptera Giorna. The Prince Bonaparte has done the same in his Catalogo 

 Metodico dei Pesci Europei, published at Naples in 1846. If therefore I have 

 been the means of the specimen being ' erroneously referred to in most works 

 on British Zoology,' 1 err in company with the two best authorities in Europe j 

 and, if I be correct, I am indebted to the writer of the ' Note, &c.,' under con- 

 sideration, for providing by his description and figure better means than I had 

 myself done of proving the correctness of my opinion respecting the species in 

 question. 



" The specimen was so imperfect, and in addition so distorted by the pre- 

 server, that, although in possession of an accurate drawing of it previous to pub- 

 lishing the note in 1835, I was unwilling to have it engraved. The relative di- 

 mensions being, for the same reasons, necessarily inaccurate, I abstained also 

 from giving them." 



For description of the following species recorded by Professor M'Coy, 

 see Annals Nat. History, vol. vi. 

 JRaia radiata, Starry Ray, p. 405. 

 Raia intermedia, p. 405. 

 Raia microcellata, p. 407. 



ORDER IX.— CYCLOSTOMI. 



The Lampkey, Petromyzon marinus, Linn., 



Is taken in suitable localities in all quarters of the island. 



In the larger rivers connected with L. Neagh it is of regular occur- 

 rence. 



A fisherman told me it is common in the Coagh, or Ballinderry river, 

 of five pounds' weight. He had seen some which he believed to be ten or 

 twelve pounds ; he says when " rooting " they turn over stones (by 

 sheer strength, not by suction) of ten to twelve lbs. weight. They go up 

 this river not only as far as Coagh, about five miles from Lough Neagh, 

 but four or five miles further. The people here would not use them for 

 any consideration ; they are so ugly. Newcastle, County Down, Nov. 2nd, 

 1851. A fisherman informs me that he once, about two years ago, caught 

 four lampreys, the largest of which was eleven inches long, in the tidal 

 river here, a considerable way above the bridge. He had not seen or 

 heard of them here before. Two persons who rent the fishing of the 

 river had never seen lamprey in it. 



Maij 2'3rd, 1851. Petvomi/zon marinus. A fine adult fish of this species 

 2 feet 6 inches long, and in very good condition, taken this evening in 

 Conswater, Belfast, was brought me before it was dead. It was seen with 

 its dorsal fin above the surface of the water, where about 4 feet deep, 

 and was struck by a fisherman under the impression that it was a mullet. 



