THE GAR-FISH. 275 



length ; abdomen bounded on each side by a longitudinal series of 

 large imbricated scales ; cheeks compressed; head flat on the sum- 

 mit, marked by a number of radiating lines ; snout very much pro- 

 duced, ending in a sharp point, slightly raised in front of the nos- 

 trils. Operculum and preoperculum rounded ; eyes large, extending 

 below the middle of the cheek, placed nearer the angle of the mouth 

 than to the posterior border of the preoperculum. Colour of the 

 head, back, and sides, bluish-green ,* gill-covers and belly silvery- 

 white ; pectorals, ventrals, and anal, pale straw colour ; dorsal and 

 caudal dusky ; dorsal fin situated near the tail, commencing in a line 

 over the second ray of the anal, and terminating in a vertical line 

 over the last raj T but one of the same fin ; the third ray the longest, 

 the fourth, fifth, and sixth, suddenly diminishing in height, the se- 

 venth as long as the base of the five first rays, the remainder of the 

 rays of equal length ; anal fin commencing a little in advance of the 

 dorsal, and ending a little behind the last ray of that fin ; the first 

 and second rays simple, the rest branched, the third the longest, 

 fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth, suddenly diminishing in 

 height, the remainder of equal length ; caudal fin deeply forked, the 

 middle ray one-third the length of the longest ray ; ventral fins short- 

 er than the pectorals, situated about the length of the upper jaw 

 from the commencement of the anal ; the first ray broad and simple, 

 the rest branched, the second the longest in the fin ; pectorals of the 

 same form as the ventrals. Body covered with large deciduous 

 scales ; cheeks, head, and opercle, also with scales ; teeth small and 

 fine in both jaws, as well as on the vomer.* Number of fin rays — 

 D. 18 j P. 13 ; V. 6 ; A. 22 ; C. 16. 



The Gar-fish has been noticed on the coast of Cornwall, 

 on the Essex coast, and as far north as on the shores of 

 Norway and Sweden. It has also been observed on the 

 coast of Ireland, from Cork to Londonderry. It enters the 

 Firth of Forth in large shoals about the beginning of July, 

 in company with the Mackerel, and remains till the end of 

 August ; but is seldom found to ascend the Firth to any dis- 

 tance, but confiningitself principally to the neighbourhood of 

 the Bass and the May. These fish are caught both with the 



* Mr Jenyns, in his Manual of British Vertebrate Animals, states that the 

 head and opercle are without scales, and the vomer without teeth. 



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