ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. 191 



spawn, localities and periods, and of molluscous animals, sponges, and 

 zoophytes. Even the more educated anglers do not comprehend the 

 extent of inquiry necessary throughout each season in our inland 

 waters, the rivers, lakes, and their tributaries. It is singular to remark 

 the numerous species in ichthyology that exist on the west and south- 

 west coast, which are peculiar to the Mediterranean, and still more the 

 capture of Cottus Greenland icus, an arctic species. The Cottus, when 

 first noticed as captured in Dingle Harbour, was supposed a solitary 

 occurrence, but I had the fortune on a recent visit there to procure four 

 more. These fish present the most vivid and beautiful markings in the 

 spring months, when, previous to spawning, the nuptial dress is assumed. 

 One of the most rare fish taken in Dingle Harbour is the Black Fish, 

 Centrolophus pompilus, belonging to the Coryphsenidoe ; a second was 

 also seen with it. A fine specimen of the Tunny, Thynnus vulgaris, 

 was taken by canoe men in Brandon Bay; and the European Eile-fish, 

 Batistes capriscus, in Dingle Bay. Thrown ashore I found two small spe- 

 cimens of Diodon. There has already been mentioned in this Society the 

 capture in the recent state of Pennant's Globe Eish, Tetraodon Pennantii, 

 on the coast of Wexford, and that of the Flying fish, Exocetus volitans, 

 in Galway Bay. Many of the Scomberidse abound on the south-west 

 coast, where I have met the dotted Mackerel, Scomber punctatus. The 

 geographical position of our west and south coasts, and set of cur- 

 rents, may sometimes introduce to us the visits of rare species ; but to 

 attribute such occurrences, or an earlier state of the spawning condition 

 of fish, to the influence of an exalted temperature of the Gulf Stream, 

 have too often been absurdly advanced. "What, then, would cause the 

 existence of those Arctic species, Cottus Grcenlandicus and Sebastes JVor- 

 vegicus, that are found to be by no means unfrequent ? The experi- 

 ments of the meteorological survey, conducted under the direction 

 of the Bev. Dr. Lloyd, proved no such noticeable difference of tem- 

 perature between the waters of the west coast and those of Dublin Bay. 

 In the examination of a variety of reputed species, I am inclined to 

 the views of Darwin and Bentham, yet not to the extent that they 

 maintain. In numerous species of Ianthina that I lately met, I fear 

 that little difference can be established between exigua, communis, and 

 even rugosa of the Mauritius. The animals are identical ; and the mere 

 shortness or protuberance of the spire, or the greater or less develop- 

 ment of the whorls, can constitute no specific forms. The same may 

 be said of Amphipeplea, where some forms found in this country were 

 said to be distinct from the British species. In the young stages of 

 those Molluscs, the spire is much depressed, even as much as Zimnceus 

 involutus exhibits, and which I fear is only from what I have collected 

 but a young state of a larger species. Blainville was of opinion that 

 many of our European forms were but dwarf varieties of tropical spe- 

 cies ; for, although the shells were different in size, the animals were 

 identical in habits and structure. When first Amphipeplea was de- 

 tected in the neighbourhood of Dublin, several eminent naturalists to 



