230 
MALACOPTERY GII. 
“ 4£ lines in breadth ; thickness less than a line ; the dorsal fin is to the un- 
assisted eye transparent; it commences at the back of the head, which, perhaps, 
warrants Pennant’s description of the * dorsal fin extending the whole length of 
the back.’ ” 
Mont., yoI. ii. p. 438, states that the dorsal fin “ commences at nearly ^ 
of the length of the fish from the head.” Anal fin as stated by Montagu ; 
pectoral fins a line in length ; gill aperture small ; a row of very minute 
black spots on the margin of the back and on each side the belly ; the 
lateral line is in the centre, and is marked throughout with minute black 
spots, which are however larger than those before mentioned. 
Dr. Ball observed, in reference to this fish, — “ When alive it is so trans- 
parent that the eye alone is visible.” * 
The Beardless Opeiidium, Ophidium imberbe, Linn,, 
Is known as an Irish species only from the memorandum in Mr. Temple- 
ton’s Catalogue, which will be found as a foot-note to the article on the 
next species in the present volume. 
Drummond’s Echiodon, JEchiodon Drummondii , Thompson, 
Has been once taken on the Antrim coast. 
The following communication was made by me to the Zool. Society in 
June, 1837, and is here transcribed from the Society’s Proceedings for that 
year. — 
“ XVI. On a new Sub-genus of Fishes, allied to Ophidium. By William 
Thompson, Esq., Vice-President of the Natural History Society of Bel- 
fast. Communicated by the Secretary. 
Read June 13th, 1837. 
The species of fish which is the subject of the present communication 
ranks under the Malacopterygii Apodes, and in its genus most nearly 
approximates Ophidium. Although with Ophidium, as described in the 
Regne Animal (t. ii. p. 358, 2nd ed.), it possesses many characters in 
common, others are at the same time presented, which have suggested 
the propriety of constituting it a sub-genus. Cuvier having given as a 
character of Ophidium, “ l’anus assez en arriere,” strictly considered,! 
prevents the admission of the present specimen. The genus is, again, in 
the Regne Animal, subdivided into the true Ophidia and the Fierasfers ; 
the former “ portent sous la gorge deux paires de petits barbillons, ad- 
* A specimen taken in Belfast Bay was presented to the Museum of the Bel- 
fast Nat. Hist. Society, in 1853, and exhibited in a recent state by Mr. Patterson 
at a meeting of the Society held on the 23rd Feb. in that year. It had been 
examined by him when alive the previous day ; its very beautiful eye was the 
only conspicuous portion of the body as it swam about. When dead it was 
spread out on a newspaper, by Mr. Garrett, who was able with perfect ease to 
read the printing as seen through the transparent body of the fish. — Ed. 
f It may, perhaps, be objected to this strict reading, that Cuvier has himself 
admitted into the genus the Oph. Vassalii, which is described by Risso as hav- 
ing “l’anus situe pres de la gorge” (tom. iii. p. 212, ed. 1826) ; but, although 
the characters of this species are pretty fully detailed in the Regne Animal 
(tom. ii. p. 359), the one here quoted from Risso is not mentioned. The last- 
named author similarly describes the position of the vent in the Oph. ferasfer. 
On the contrary, both of the British Ophidia, figured by Pennant (Brit. Zool. 
vol. iv. pi. 93, ed. 1777) and Montagu (Wern. Mem. vol. i. pi. 4), accord with 
Cuvier’s generic description in this character. 
