172 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



particularly in the autumn months, and is said to be greatly 

 improved when boiled in salt-water. " Several have been 

 retained with success in Mr Arnold's fresh-water lake, in 

 Guernsey, and Dr M'Culloch has vouched for the superio- 

 rity of the flavour obtained by the change.' 1 * The Bass is 

 brought occasionally to the Edinburgh market, and sold at 

 a low rate. 



Genus TRACHURUS.— First dorsal fin very short, the 

 second very long ; operculum furnished with a strong sharp 

 spine directed backwards ; preoperculum notched below. 



Trachinus viPERA.f — The Sting-Fish. 



Specific Characters. — Second dorsal-fin with twenty-four rays ; no 

 spine before the eye. 



Description. — From a specimen five inches long. Body rather 

 elongated ; sides compressed, marked by a number of oblique lines 

 forming an angle below the lateral line ; back nearly straight ; abdo- 

 minal line slightly convex. Colour of the back, as far as a little be- 

 low the lateral line, reddish-grey ; sides and belly silvery-white ; 

 first dorsal-fin black ; second dorsal and pectorals of the same colour 

 as the back ; anal and ventrals white ; caudal-fin even at the extre- 

 mity, and margined with black.^ (Mr Jenyns says there is a black 

 spot at the extremity of the caudal fin.) Scales small, thin, and en- 

 tire ; cheeks and operculum without scales ; eyes moderate, with- 

 out spines in front, situated high on the head, placed nearer the point 

 of the jaw than to the posterior margin of the preoperculum ; oper- 

 culum with a long sharp spine directing backwards over the shoul- 

 der ; lateral line nearly straight throughout its course ; lower jaw 

 longest, sloping greatly upwards. Teeth small and fine on the 

 maxillaries, vomer, palatines and pharyngeans. First dorsal fin com- 

 mencing over the base of the pectorals, and ending in a line with 

 the second ray of the anal ; all its spines simple and very sharp, 



* YarreWs British Pishes. 



■f Trachinus vipera, Cuv. Yar. Jen. ; T. draco, Pen. Flem. Donov. Sting- 

 Fish, Otter-Pike, Lesser-Weever, Adder-Pile, Black-fin. 



X Dr Fleming states, in his work on British Animals, that the tail is 

 rounded, and that there are two spines in front of the eyes. 



