8642 



Fishes. 



present at the blasting, who produced portions of the rock, showing the precise spots 

 where some of the toads were imbedded. These were indentations on the stone of the 

 size of a hen's egg cut lengthwise in half, but not so deep. When the shot went off 

 the workmen ran to the spot, and found the toads scampering away. The nests, which 

 became exposed in the solid rock by the blast, appeared to have a coating of soft black 

 viscid stuff, in which the toads had lain. The rock is not sandstone, but a kind of 

 conglomerate, very compact, but with open spaces, around which crystals of silica ap- 

 pear. That the toads were imbedded in the solid rock we have no doubt whatever, but 

 to make assurance doubly sure the workmen are to carry large pieces of the rock to a 

 given place, where they will be broken leisurely and carefully, in the presence of intel- 

 ligent witnesses, who will be at no loss to verify the facts which may be presented.'" — 

 ' Times' Newspaper, May 25, 1863. 



[The second or " confirmatory" account is but a weak and unsatisfactory one. In 

 the first place, the toads scampered away : the term will not apply to the action of any - 

 toad with which I am acquainted. In the second place, the idea of breaking blocks of 

 stone " in the presence of intelligent witnesses" seems to imply that this has not pre- 

 viously been the case ; and T confess my distrust of the assertions of quarrymen who 

 are rewarded for them by beer proportioned in quantity to the extravagance of their 

 tales. — Edward Newman. ,] 



Occurrence of the Lesser Forked Beard in Mount's Bay, Cornwall.— 1 have sent to 

 you per parcel a fish which I believe to be the trifurcated hake, or lesser forked beard. 

 I took it in Mount's Bay, on Friday last, the 17th inst., in six-fathom water, on rocky 

 ound about a mile from the nearest land. I have kept it in reserve for my friend 

 fell. Q. Couch, who usually kindly takes charge of any specimens I take ; but his 

 osition renders it advisable that I should send the fish to some other scientific 

 assur'st. As it is, I have had to take out a portion of the entrails and soak the fish 

 owrf.e. I did this hurriedly last evening, on finding the fish rapidly decomposing, 

 .tnd too far gone to make spirits of wine available. The shape of the belly of the fish, 

 which has been lost by gutting, corresponded with Yarrell's figure, but is more pre- 

 cisely represented by the belly-line given by Yarrell for the " unctuous sucker." The 

 fish when alive had a perfectly smooth skin, and was marked with faint lines along its 

 back. The lateral line was strongly marked, running straight from the tail to over the 

 commencement of the anal fin, from thence arching high over the pectorals, being in 

 this portion of its length raised, but having the elevated ridge perfectly soft; from just 

 over the pectorals to the eye the lateral line ended in a broad shallow groove. The 

 gill-covers were connected by a loose membrane. The grinding apparatus in the 

 guliet was not visible without special examination when the fish was alive. I shall be 

 happy to give any further particulars. — Thomas Cornish ; Penzance, April 20, 1863. 



[In connexion with this subject I have to mention the lamented death of Mr. 

 Richard Quain Couch, a naturalist whose profound knowledge of fishes has rarely, if 

 ever, been equalled in this country. His admirable papers in the earlier volumes of 

 this journal are of no transitory interest, but will long endure as evidences of 

 Mr. Couch's industry and great power of observation. 



I regret that the fish was received in so advanced a state of decomposition that it 

 was almost impossible to make a precise examination ; but there is not the slightest 



