160 
still remaining in doubt, as the fish is not often taken, and 
when it occurs a competent observer may not be present to 
take advantage of the circumstance. The examination of a 
single specimen therefore becomes a matter of interest; since 
it may enable us to settle the value of the assumed marks 
of distinction, and to assign the synonyms of our British 
species. 
The descriptions we possess of these fishes represent the 
specimens as having great variety of colour; as may be seen 
in Risso’s plates ( Iclithyologie de Nice pi. 3,) where one i* 
of very pale brown, with slight but numerous pale blue 
spots, and a larger ocellated spot of deeper blue on the centre 
of the disk : with a pale waved line from each temporal 
orifice to the tail. In another the colour is a uniform reddish 
buff; and the third is a dull brown, thickly covered with 
small dark spots. In Matthiolus’ edition of Dioscorides, the 
colour is described as reddish, with five regularly arranged 
large ocellated spots; which are seen only in the adult fish* 
Gesner (Nomenclator aquatilium, p. 124,) gives two figures* 
in each of which five large spots are regularly distributed! 
but they differ from that of Matthiolus in having the sp°j 
which lies in a direction with the dorsal line, close behind 
the head ; whereas in the figure of the latter author this 
intermediate spot is the most remote from it. When we add 
to this, that in most of the Ray kind there is a dispositi 0 . 0 
to formation of spots and circles, but that they vary in tbe |r 
occurrence, form and situation, and that the supposed Cucko' v 
Ray (It. miraletus ) derived its only authority from the* 6 
accidents, we may safely venture to conclude that li lt * 6 . 
dependence should be placed on them for the distinction 0 
species. They have not usually occurred in the specim 0 ®’ 
taken in Britain, and I believe not at all on those seen *e 
Cornwall: in which they confirm a remark that I h a * fl 
several times had occasion to make — that the fishes ot d |0 
Mediterranean which occasionally wander to our shore*' 
invariably suffer a change of colour: — a circumstance to 6 
explained by the fact, that a variation of ground or l*fi u 
effects great alteration in the shades or distribution of 
colours of fishes. ,j 
But whilst the circumstance of colour or spot must be b® 
doubtful, another mark is claimed as decisive of the dj s 
tinclion of species. This is the uniform continuity 
of 
margin of the temporal aperture, or the having that part 6 ^ 
into segments: the Torpedo marmorata, or old Brd*^ 
Torpedo of Mr. Yarrell’s British Fishes, vol. 2, P- 
second edition, being characterized by the latter, . 
Torpedo nobiiiana, or new British Torpedo, vol. 2. p. & ’ 
