OT BRITISH FISHES. 



95 



/ 



OPHIDIUM'imberbe. 



(Pl. IV. Fig. 2.) 

 Ophidium imberbe, Linn. Syst. />. 431. GmeL Sysf* 

 p. 1 1 47. B» Z00L App. t, 93, Shaw, Zool. iv, 

 p. 70. 



This species of Ophidium may be considered as 

 one of the most rare of the British fishes, and in- 

 deed so little known as to have caused others to be 

 described for it. Mr Pennant first introduced 

 it into the fauna of British Zoology, but has given 

 no description of it, and the figure above referred 

 to is by no means correct. All we know, there- 

 fore, is that it was taken at V/ ey mouth. 



None of the more modern authors seem to have 

 identified this fish ; but Artedi and Gronovius 

 are referred to. Gmelin is certainly mistaken in 

 refering to 401 of the latter author ; for that species 

 is not only described to have double the number 

 of rays it actually has in the dorsal fin, but is 

 also destitute of caudal fin, which at once separates 

 it from the present subject. 



Considering it would not be unacceptable to 

 the Society and to the lovers of science in general, 

 to have a good representation of this rare fish to 

 refer to, the drawing of a small specimen lately 

 taken on the south coast of Devon, will accompany 

 this, and of which the following is a correct de- 

 scription. 



Length about three inches : depth about a quar- 

 ter of an inch. Pectoral fin furnished with eleven 



