ANDKEWS ZOOLOGICAL NOTES. 123 



on our south-west shores, a species peculiarly existing in northern la- 

 titudes where the Syngnathus acus is rare or not known. 



The species of Tetraodon that I had proposed to submit this evening 

 was cast ashore in Brandon Bay, and as it appeared to be a form 

 hitherto unknown to the British shores, I thought it prudent to defer 

 any particular notice until, aided by my friend Dr. Carte, the able Di- 

 rector of the Museum of the Eoyal Dublin Society, I could obtain 

 through him reference to those works in which the several known spe- 

 cies of that genus are recorded and described. 



The Tetraodons belong to that section of the family Gymnodontes, 

 that have the jaws furnished with an ivory-like substance, presenting 

 the appearance of true teeth. Thus the Tetraodons have the jaws di- 

 vided by a suture in the middle, as to give the appearance of four teeth. 

 The Diodon has the jaws divided, while those of the Triodon have only 

 the upper jaw divided. These are chiefly ground-feeding fish, their 

 strong jaws enabling them to feed on Crustacea and molluscous animals ; 

 thence they are but seldom captured, except when accidentally cast 

 ashore. 



Cast ashore, in the same bay, was obtained a rare species of Delphi- 

 norhynchus, the second specimen only obtained in the British seas, and 

 the second male specimen known to the European Fauna. Of this a 

 record will hereafter be given. 



In looking through the recent works of British Ichthyologists many 

 of our rare species of fish seem to have passed unnoticed — those works 

 professing to be the records of Great Britain and of Ireland. As I have 

 been alluding to the Diodontidse, one of the most remarkable belonging 

 to that order is the oblong sun-fish ( Orthagoriscus oblongus), of which 

 no record has been given of its existence on the coasts of Ireland. 

 This brilliantly marked fish was taken in a living state off Tramore 

 Bay, county of Waterford, early in the month of October, 1846, 

 when the beautiful and accurate drawing, which I now exhibit, 

 was made while its vivid markings and colourings were in the freshest 

 state, an opportunity which no authentic specimen seems to have 

 afforded. Some difficulties occurred as to the right of possession, 

 and, therefore, the means of a satisfactory examination of its internal 

 organization were not given until decomposition was too far ad- 

 vanced. The fish was finally obtained by the late Dr. Farren, and 

 presented to the Society. So far as I was at the time enabled I made 

 notes of its structure, its measurements, and characteristics that confirm 

 its specific distinctions. These, however, I will not intrude upon the 

 meeting, but retain them for insertion in our " Proceedings," as no no- 

 tice has as yet appeared in any journal of its record. 



A very able paper was given on the Orthagoriscus mola, the short 

 sun-fish, by the late Dr. Bellingham, and published in the ''Magazine 

 of Natural History" for 1840, at page 235. The specimen is in the 

 Museum of this Society. The 0. oblongus not only differs much from 

 0. mola, or short sun-fish, by the beauty of its colours and markings, 

 but by the oblong form of the body, the pointed pectoral fins, the skin 



