70 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF DUBLIN. 



In Trichiurus the dorsal fin commences at the nape of the neck, 

 extending the entire length of the dorsal ridge, the rays being of deeper 

 length near the termination. It is similar in form to Lepidopus. It 

 has no ventral or caudal fins, the latter being a compressed filament, 

 with a series of minute spines on the under edge. The stomach is 

 elongated and thick, intestines straight, cceca numerous, and the nata- 

 tory bladder long and simple. In the form of the jaws, large teeth, 

 operculum, and pectoral fins, it more nearly resembles T. armatus, and 

 especially in the position of the lateral line, which commences at the 

 upper edge of the operculum, and, descending with a curve, runs in a 

 line along more than the lower third of the body. In the other species 

 the line is more central, not forming a curve from the operculum, but 

 continuing nearly midway along the body. Five specimens were ob- 

 tained — four were sent to me. The largest measured, from snout to 

 termination of the caudal filament, 33 inches ; the depth of body 3 j 

 inches; the dorsal fin had 135 rays, the pectoral 11 rays; the swim- 

 ming bladder was long and tubular. 



A fine specimen was thrown ashore on the southern side of Tralee 

 Bay, about two miles south-east of Castlegregory. Thus it is remark- 

 able the extent of distance they were cast ashore, no doubt proving 

 the numbers that must exist in deep water off that part of the coast. 



In like manner the black fish ( Centrolopus pompilus) was supposed 

 to be extremely rare, the only known occurrence on the Irish coasts 

 were two specimens recorded as captured in Dingle Harbour. Last 

 summer, during a cruise off that coast, hundreds were seen playing 

 over a piece of floating wreck. The same may be said of the stone- 

 basse, Polyprion cernium, of which, under the same circumstances at 

 sea, numbers have been met. I may here mention the occurrence of a 

 beautiful specimen of the Tunny, TJiynnus vulgaris, caught in Brandon 

 Bay, October, 1869. The measurements sent to me by Lord Yentry 

 were — length, four feet three inches; girth, three feet two inches; 

 length of head, one foot one inch; spread of tail, one foot one inch. 

 Prom the tail forward, on the upper part, it had nine finlets ; below, 

 eight finlets. In the several species of bonito, the spurious fins, or 

 finlets, are only eight above. 



Prom the foregoing observations I feel confident that we have not 

 yet gleaned the extent of interest that exists in the marine zoology of 

 our shores, or of the deep water off our coasts. But few local residents 

 have knowledge of such subjects, and, having no means of reference to 

 works of information, many valuable specimens are lost to science ; 

 and, though the fishermen are sufficiently intelligent to distinguish ob- 

 jects that are but occasionally met, or that have not before been known 

 to them, yet they are generally found indifferent to the retaining the 

 capture of any fish, or of marine objects, but those that in their estima- 

 tion are of marketable value. 



After some observations from the Chairman and members, the 

 Honorary Secretary stated that parts forming the volume for 1868-69 

 of the Transactions of the Society, with index, and containing ten 



