Fishes, #c. 8727 



might have heen selected, is the choice of an unsuitable word in a composition a suffi- 

 cient reason for rejecting a statement of a fact ? Must not a cause be feeble which 

 rests on such an objection as one of its twin pillars ? But let us try the strength of 

 the other pillar. A certain " idea " (Is this word any better than " scampering "? Is 

 an intention an idea?) "seems to imply" that no intelligent person has been present 

 at the affirmed exhumation. A gentleman of position affirms, " I have myself seen 

 numbers of living toads taken out of the conglomerate at depths of from fifteen to 

 twenty-four feet from the surface." Is Sir Alexander Gordon Cummin* not an intel- 

 ligent person ? You distrust the assertions of quarry men who are rewarded for their 

 tales by beer ; but you have not stated any evidence that these quarrymen were so 

 remunerated. Have you any such evidence? I do not think that this is the way in 

 which we should seek to arrive at truth on a mooted question in Science. — P. H. Gosse; 

 Torquay, July 18, 1863. 



Occurrence of the Dory (Zeus faber) at Banff. — A specimen of the above curious- 

 looking, and at this place rare, fish was taken in our bay in a salmon net, on the 8th 

 inst.— Thomas Edward ; Banff, July 10, 1863. 



New Genus of Fishes. — In May last a few specimens of a new genus of fishes were 

 taken here. The species is to be named in honour of the late Mr. Thompson, of Bel- 

 fast. A figure and description will appear in Mr. Couch's new work on our British 

 Fishes, now in course of publication. It is a very small species, but vies with the 

 beautiful argentine in the brilliancy of its colours. — Id. 



The Great Sea Serpent. — The following is a copy of a letter from an officer of the 

 African mail steamer ' Athenian,' addressed to a gentleman in this town : — " African 

 Royal Mail Screw Steamer 'Athenian,' Cape Palmas, May 16, 1863. — My dear Sir, 

 — All doubts may now be set at rest about the great sea serpent. On the 6th of May 

 the African Royal Mail steamship ' Athenian,' on her passage from Teneriffe to 

 Bathurst, fell in with one. At about 7a.m. John Chappie, quartermaster, at the 

 wheel, saw something floating towards the ship. He called the attention of the Rev. 

 Mr. Smith and another passenger, who were on deck at the time, to it. On nearing 

 the steamer it was discovered to be a large snake about 100 feet long, of a dark brown 

 colour, head and tail out of water, the body slightly under. On its head was some- 

 thing like a mane or sea-weed. The body was about the size round of our mainmast. 

 You are at liberty to publish this." 



Irish Notes on Entomology. By Edwin Birchall, Esq. 



*Ccenonympha Typhon, Kirbys Manual, 70. I captured this insect 

 on the boggy moors of the south-west of Ireland, at the end of June. 

 It is closely allied to C. Davus, but is a larger insect, and the eyes on 



