APPENDIX. 389 



fection of several of the descriptions in this volume, more es- 

 pecially of this most extraordinary fish, of which either one or 

 two very perfect specimens were in spirits. I can hear of no 

 example in any of the collections of this country, and not having 

 taken any notes after executing a coloured drawing from the 

 fresh fish, a reduced copy of which has been already givenf, 

 I can only add such particulars as that furnishes. . 



The scales of the body are very peculiar ; they do not lay upon each other, 

 as in ordinary fishes, but are joined together at their margins ; their form is 

 hexagonal, and they are arranged in longitudinal rows of different sizes; three 

 of these rows are on each side ; the upper and the under ones are twice as 

 long as they are broad, and are placed transversely ; those in the middle row 

 are less than half the size, and their sides are nearly equal ; towards the end 

 of the body, however, these inequalities are lost, and they all become of the 

 same size." The dorsal fin, as well as the anal, have the rays, as it were, 

 upon fleshy peduncles ; the first ray of the former is near five times the 

 length of the others, and is terminated by a narrow spatulate membrane ; 

 the total number of rays appears to be about seven, while those of the anal 

 are eight ; both seem to be much branched ; the ventral fins are placed ex- 

 actly half-way between the tip of the under jaw, when opened, and the end 

 of the anal fin ; they are as long and as pointed, although not so broad, as 

 the pectoral ; the caudal fin is forked, and deeply cleft to its base, the divi- 

 sions much pointed. The colour is very peculiar; the back is blackish, or 

 very dark grey ; the belly of the deepest black ; and the sides light purple 

 strongly silvered; the fins are bufF-colour; the sides of the head silvery, 

 and the eye yellow. The total length is about eight inches. 



GADUS furcatus {fig. 71. Vol. I.) Fork-tailed Cod. 



Body compressed ; head rather small, rounded_, and ob- 

 tuse ; lateral line curved ; dorsal fins three ; vent 

 under the commencement of the second ; caudal fin 

 deeply forked ; ventral long, pointed, of three rays. 



Dorsal 12, 22, 12 ; ventral 3 ; anal 29, 14 ; caudal 22. 



Inhabits the western coast of Sicily ; rare. (January, 1815) 



Length of the specim:ens examined about six to eight inches .- upper jaw 

 rather the longest ; the single cirrus on the lower jaw is about half as long 

 as the head ; eyes large ; lips thin ; teeth in the jaws and palate minute, 

 and very sharp ; gill-membrane S-rayed ; irides above dark blue ; body 

 compressed, broadest between the anal and second dorsal fin ; the scales so 

 minute as to be imperceptible to the eye ; the first dorsal fin triangular, 

 much higher than long ; ventral fins pointed, almost cylindrical, as long as 

 the pectoral, of three rays only, the last of which is very small ; last dorsal 

 fin only one-third as long as the second, and equal with the second anal ; 

 caudal forked to the bas& Colour. — Above pale drab or Isabella; sides 

 silvery ; lower fins paler; lateral line with the anterior half curved, the 

 hinder straight ; the greatest breadth of the body is one-fourth the total 

 length from tip to tip. 



GADUS hlenno'ides. Blenniforra Cod. 



Ventral fin lengthened, cylindrical, of two strong rays, 



c 3 



