3282 Fishes. 



59, that author gives two cuts of the teeth, as opposed to each other in the jaws, and 

 from two specimens. The teeth of the upper jaw of the specimen that came under 

 my observation correspond — quite correspond I would say — with those of the superior 

 maxillary represented in the first figure just referred to ; but the teeth in the inferior 

 maxillary were wholly dissimilar. So far from having anything of the lancet set side- 

 ways appearance of those in the upper jaw, they were flat, tapering, conical, pointed, 

 recurved teeth ; and in place of suggesting the idea of a cutting intent in their struc- 

 ture, looked like an apparatus simply intended for keeping a hold of the prey. Hav- 

 ing lodged the jaws of this specimen, along with a fragment of the spiny skin, in the 

 Edinburgh University Museum, it might certainly be worth the while of a competent 

 ichthyologist to examine them, should opportunity serve.— Id. 



Occurrence of the Striped Red Mullet (Mullus surmuletus, Z.), at Gamrie. — One 

 of the fishermen of the village of Gardenston sent me a very beautiful example of this 

 fish about the middle of August. Its length is 10 inches. When brought to me, the 

 bearer faithfully delivered the message that " the oldest man in Gamrie had never 

 seen the like of it ; " which may be explained by a reference to Mr. Yarrell, who says 

 it "is of frequent occurrence along the extended line of our southern coast, from Corn- 

 wall to Sussex, but becomes more rare in proceeding from thence northward by the 

 eastern coast." — ' Brit. Fishes,' i. 28. Happening to be from home when it arrived, 

 the fish was within an ace of being cast forth as worthless ! Alas, for the days of the 

 Emperors ! — Id. 



The Variegated Sole on the Sussex Coast. — A few days ago a fish-vender from 

 Brighton offered some soles, which proved to belong to the above-named species, al- 

 though unluckily my attention was not attracted to the subject until too late for a full 

 examination. Yarrell's account (Brit. Fishes, ii. 262) is, that this is " a rare species," 

 and he mentions one of "nine inches in length," as if the known specimens were small. 

 I apprehend, however, that further acquaintance with this variety will modify such 

 opinions. Of those which I saw, the basket contained an enormous pair, stated to 

 weigh upwards of 6 fbs. ! and there were others of different sizes. I have not yet suc- 

 ceeded in procuring any more for comparison, but have been informed that the fish is 

 occasionally taken by the Brighton fishermen, when, during a westerly wind (as they 

 usually sail out against the wind, thereby ensuring a speedy return) they direct their 

 boats to that part of the coast nearly opposite to Worthing, which is familiarly known 

 as the Grass Banks. I remarked that the black patches on the back had a longitudi- 

 nal, not, as in Yarrell's figure, a transverse direction, but am told that those marks va- 

 ry, running sometimes from head to tail, sometimes across the body. From experience 

 of the two which I had dressed, I consider the variegated sole not worth eating. I have 

 just learned that this fish is known at Lowestoffe, in Suffolk, where it is caught in par- 

 ticular localities, and deemed good. This is an object for the inquiries of the natu- 

 ralists of Norfolk and Suffolk. It has been stated to me that the lemon sole (British 

 Fishes, ii. 260) is occasionally brought for sale, but hitherto I have not noticed it. — 

 Arthur Hussey ; Rotting dean, October 11, 1851. 



