Lepidopus. 
FISHES. ACANTHOPT. 
ms 
ing of a great number of rays, soft, and little more than an inch long. Each 
of the pectorals had six double rays. There were no ventral nor anal fins, 
but the belly was a sharp, smooth, and entire edge. The tail ended in a 
point, consisting of three or four soft spines or bristles of different lengths, 
not exceeding 2 inches. The body was nearly of the same breadth for one-half 
of its length, and then its breadth diminished gradually till within three inches 
of the tail, when the diminution became more quick. The lateral line was 
straight, and strongly marked along the middle of the two sides.” 
Upon the 12th November 1821, another individual was found upon the 
beach, nearly at the same place. “ Its head had been broken off, and was 
quite gone, a small bit of the gills only remained about the upper part of the 
throat ; from whence, to the extremity of the tail, its length was 1 2 feet 9 
inches ; its breadth, 1 1 \ inches, was nearly equal for the first six feet in length 
from the gills, diminishing gradually from thence to the tail, which ended in 
a blunt point, without any of those kinds of bristles which projected from 
the tail of the one found formerly : its greatest thickness was 2| inches. 
The distance from the gills to the anus 46 inches. The dorsal fin extended 
from the head to the tail, but was much torn and broken : the bones or 
muscles to which the pectoral fins had been attached were perceivable very 
near the gills. There were no ventral nor anal fins ; but the thin edge of 
the belly was closely muricated with small hard points, which, although 
scarcely visible through the skin, were very plainly felt all along it. Both 
sides of the fish were white, with four longitudinal bars of a darker colour ; 
the one immediately below the dorsal fin was about 2 inches broad ; each of 
the other three about |ths of an inch. The side line straight along the 
middle.” 
From the preceding descriptions, which I have been induced to give in 
detail, it appears probable that the two fishes examined by Mr Hoy be- 
longed to different species. The differences in the position of the vent, the 
structure of the tail, and the condition of the ridge of the belly, seem too 
great to justify the inference of their being only varieties. The latter fish 
appears identical with the Lepturus of Artedi, and consequently of Linnaeus. 
Gen. LVI. LEPIDOPUS. Scale-foot. — Caudal and anal 
fins distinct. Two pointed scales in place of ventrals, 
^ 116. L. tetradens. — Anal fin developed, placed near the tail, 
which is lunate ; pectorals pointed. 
Vandellius Lusitanicus, Shaw^ Gen. Zool. iv. part ii. 199 — Ziphotheca 
tetradens, Mont. Wern. Mem. i. 82, t. 2, 3. and vol. ii. p. 432 On 
the coast of Devon. 
Length upwards of 5 feet. Body silvery, without scales, and smooth, ca- 
rinated dorsally and ventrally. Lateral line straight. Head depressed, por- 
rected ; the lower jaw longest, ending in a callous lip. Jaws with an irregu- 
lar row of sharp-pointed teeth ; four larger ones in the upper jaw. Irides 
and mouth silvery. D. 105, (the first three rays spinous) ; P. 12, (the lower 
rays longest). The ventral scales behind the pectorals. A. 17- Vent near 
the middle. The first British example of this fish was taken in Salcomb 
harbour, Devon, June 1808, and measured, according to Montagu, feet. 
Another, only 10 inches in length, occurred likewise on the Devon coast 
February 1810. — This species differs from the L. Gouanianus {Gouan., Hist. 
Pise. 185, tab. i. f. 1.) in the lunated tail, and the developed anal fin ; and 
seems likewise to differ in the position of the vent and number of rays in the 
dorsal fin, from L. Peronii of Risso (Ich. 148). 
3 
