2992 Fishes. 



Capture of a Species of Atherine (Atherina Boyeri), new to the British 

 Fauna. By Jonathan Couch, Esq., F.L.S., &c* 



It is only of late that more than one species of atherine has been 

 recognized by naturalists ; and even in the last edition of Mr. Yarrell's 

 1 British Fishes,' no other besides the Atherina Presbyter, popularly 

 known in the west of England as the common smelt, is recorded as a 

 British species. It is with much pleasure, therefore, that I am able 

 to communicate to the Society the fact of the occurrence of another 

 species, the A. Boyeri, Boyer's atherine of Risso and Cuvier, on our 

 coast ; and as the circumstances attending its discovery appear to me 

 to be illustrative of its distinguishing habits, I will be the more parti- 

 cular in describing the manner in which this fish fell under my ob- 

 servation. 



In the middle of October, 1846, when the weather was turbulent 

 and the sea much disturbed, a multitude of little fishes made their 

 appearance in our harbour, and when the water became smooth they 

 were seen to be loosely scattered in all directions, but not more than 

 two or three being close to each other, none of them far below the 

 surface, and all busily engaged in touching or taking minute objects 

 swimming at the surface ; so that it appeared as if there was perpetu- 

 ally falling a thinly scattered succession of drops of rain. As these 

 fishes continued with us for more than a week, I had several opportu- 

 nities of watching their actions ; and I observed that they often 

 associated into small loosely arranged companies ; but the whole 

 multitude commonly proceeded in one direction, examining every 

 small attractive object on the surface, that had a little motion, and 

 dimpling the surface in doing it. But when I proceeded to endeavour 

 to obtain a few specimens for examination, I soon discovered, that 

 however earnestly intent they appeared to be on the objects of their 

 pursuit, they were not less attentive to their own safety. With a hook 

 I had little success, as, from their small size, none but those which are 

 used in fly-fishing could be taken into their mouths ; but they showed 

 much indifference to a bait, and only followed it when by a little 

 motion it was made to assume the appearance of being alive. I was 

 made more sensible of their vigilance when I attempted to catch a 

 few with a hand-net from the rock ; for they always kept at a distance 



* This paper was read at a meeting of the Natural-History Society of Pen- 

 zance. 



