Fishes. 3459 



formerly. In 1849 many were caught by the fishermen, who give 

 them the name of " Siller-fish." 



Ray's Sea Bream, Brama Rail. Found at Gamrie (Zool. 3301), 

 Rev. G. Harris. 



Mackerel, Scomber Scomber. (Rionnach,-Ronach).* Occasionally 

 found throughout the year, and sometimes taken in immense numbers 

 towards the close of the herring-fishery in August. 



The Tunny, Thynnus vulgaris. In the summer of 1850 several in- 

 dividuals of the shoal or herd which seems to have approached Britain 

 that year, were met with in the Moray Firth. One, killed at Portsoy 

 in a salmon-net, measured 9 feet in length and 5 feet 10 inches in 

 girth. Another, at Clachnaharry, near Inverness, measured 5 feet in 

 length. 



The Scad, Caranx Trachurus. " Rock or Horse Mackerel." A 

 few are taken every year in the salmon-net at Lossiemouth, Mr. Mar- 

 tin. Has been met with at Nairn, Mr. Falconer. 



The Black Fish, Centrolophus Pompilus. A single specimen of 

 this very rare fish was caught in a net at Lossiemouth, in 1841. It 

 measured 14 inches in length, and was almost wholly black. It proved 

 an object of great curiosity to the fishermen and the sailors, who de- 

 clared that they had never before seen so singular a fish ; Mr. Martin. 



The Dory, Zeus Faber. Two specimens are known to have been 

 killed on the Elginshire coast, Mr. Martin. 



The Boar Fish, Zeus Aper. " Sun-fish." One caught by Alexan- 

 der Stewart, at Lossiemouth, in 1839, and sent to the Elgin Museum; 

 its length was 7 inches : Mr. Martin. 



Opah, or King Fish, Lampris guttatus. A very fine specimen of 

 this most beautiful fish was cast ashore alive at Port Gordon, on the 

 3rd of March, 1839, and afterwards exhibited in the town of Elgin, as 

 a curiosity. It was 3 feet 10 inches in length, and weighed 112 lbs. 

 The remains of a cuttlefish were found in its stomach. The external 

 appearance of the sides seemed to indicate that the lateral line was 

 branched, as single lines, smaller, but otherwise of the same external 

 appearance as the line itself, were thrown off from it on the under side 

 only, and were dispersed over the lower portion of the fish. Several 

 years ago another was obtained at Nairn. 



The Silvery Hair-tail, Trichiurus lepturus. Two specimens of a 



* The Celtic words are given within parentheses ; and when two words are con- 

 nected hy a hyphen (-), the latter is an approximation to the pronunciation of the 

 former. 



