390 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



and anal fins being margined with black ; and in the end 

 of the pectoral rays being half-way between the point of 

 the snout and the commencement of the anal fin ; none of 

 which characters are possessed by the common eel. 



Genus AMMODYTES. — Dorsal and anal fins separat- 

 ed from the caudal by a short space ; caudal fin forked. 



Ammodytes tobiancs.* — The Sand-Eel. 



Specific Character. — Dorsal fin commencing in a line over the ex- 

 tremities of the pectorals. 



Description. — From a specimen eleven inches in length. Head, 

 measuring from the point of the under jaw to the posterior extremity 

 of the operculum, one-fifth of the whole length, caudal excluded ; 

 body elongated, somewhat of a square form, with the angles round- 

 ed, nearly of equal thickness throughout. Colour of the back dusky 

 green ; sides and belly silvery- white. Dorsal fin commencing in a 

 line over the end of the pectoral rays, and running down the back 

 to within a short interval of the caudal rays ; all the rays simple, and 

 nearly of equal length throughout, being about half the length of the 

 pectorals. Anal fin commencing immediately under the twenty- 

 ninth ray of the dorsal, and ending a little before the caudal, all the 

 rays simple, answering to the dorsal. Caudal fin deeply forked, the 

 middle ray about half the length of the longest ray of the same fin ; 

 pectorals pointed ; ventrals wanting. Snout sharp ; gape wide ; 

 under jaw projecting considerably beyond the upper, and ending in 

 a strong point ; maxillaries long j pedicels of the intermaxillaries 

 very short ; upper jaw turns up at its extremity when the jaws are 

 widely expanded, causing the maxillaries to become vertical ; vomer 

 with one long tooth directed forwards and downwards, and bifur- 

 cated at its extremity ; eyes small ; orbits round, situated rather 

 nearer the point of the under jaw than to the posterior margin of the 

 gill-cover ; suboperculum large, marked with a number of diverging 

 strise, terminating in a rounded point, directed over the base of the 

 pectorals ; gill-opening large ; body covered with small scales ; late- 

 ral line taking its origin behind the head, and running close under 

 the base of the dorsal fin ; throughout its whole course down the 

 back, along the middle of each side a second line is visible taking 

 a course parallel to the former. Number of fin rays — 



D. 58 ; P. 12 ; A. 31 ; C. 18. 



* Ammodytes tobianus, Yarr., Jen, Horner, Wide-mouthed Launce. 



