142 
MALAC0PTERYGI1. 
chiefly taken at Killinchy, 2 dozen being sometimes captured in the her- 
ring nets in the course of a night’s fishing. He has seen shoals of them 
often about Carrickfergus in summer on the surface of the water. 
There is a prejudice against this fish, in consequence of its bones being 
green, but I have known of its being brought to table and highly ap- 
proved of. 
February, 1835. — Two stuffed specimens examined by me were as 
follows : — 
No. 1. — 26 j inches long. 
D. 1 1 17 ; P. 13 ; V. 6 (?) A. 1 [21 ; C. 15 (not reckoning any of the lateral 
rays) ; B. 12. 
2nd specimen also 26^ inches in length; D. 1119; P. 13; Y. 6 ; A. 
1 [ 22 ; C. 15; B. 14. 
A specimen in the Belfast Museum is 2 feet 9 inches in length. 
Donovan’s figure (plate 64) of this fish, under the name of Esox Belone, 
is excellent. 
The Saury-Pike, Saury, or Skipper, Scomberesox Saurus, Flem., 
Has been taken (but very rarely) on the North and East coasts. 
Sampson includes it in his Fishes of Derry ; from his remarks, how- 
ever, it seems doubtful whether the Esox Belone is not the species referred 
to, although both are mentioned. Templeton in his Catalogue says : — 
“ This curious and rare fish appears to visit the coast of Ireland very seldom, 
for, notwithstanding all my inquiries about the natives of our coast, I was never 
able to procure a specimen, until one was caught near the Long Bridge, Belfast, 
and brought to me in 1820.” 
On 17th Sept., 1840, I received from Mr. Wm. Darragh a fresh speci- 
men of this fish, 12-L inches in length, and which was found in a pool left 
by the receding tide on the long strand near Belfast, after a strong gale : 
there was but the one. 
Another was taken near Belfast on the same day. An oar touching the 
water caused it to dash on the sandy beach, where, as “ it could not turn 
round to the water again, like an eel,” it was captured. 
On the 7th of the following month a third example was seen in the 
Bay. 
The only other native specimens which I have seen were the three fol- 
lowing, all of which were stranded : viz., one measuring 11£ inches, found 
by Mr. J. R. Garrett, at Clifden (Belfast Bay), on 13th Sept., 1844. 
Another, measuring 13f inches, obtained by Mr. G. C. Hyndman, near 
the Lagan Bridge (Belfast), in the first week of Oct., 1847 ; and the third, 
measuring 12 inches, found by myself on the beach south of Newcastle 
(County Down), on the 23rd July, 1851. 
Dr. Ball saw a specimen in possession of the late Dr. Coulter, but has 
no other information as to the occurrence of this species in Ireland. 
“ Scomberesox Camperi, Lacep.” is the name adopted for this fish by 
Cuv. and Val., in vol. xviii. p. 464, where it is stated to have been con- 
founded with the Mediterranean sp., which is different, and on which 
“ Scomberesox Rondeletii ” is bestowed by Valen. 
a space of little more than three years, he who imparted the information, he by 
whom it was noted down, and he by whom those notes were arranged for pub- 
lication, were all carried off by death. — B. Patterson. 
