PLATE CV. 
same species. His figure represents the fish of a silvery grey colour 
with the fins red, and several equidistant spots or patches of red on 
the cheeks, and along the side below the lateral, line ; his description 
accoids with this, and so far deviates very materially from C. ru- 
besccns, which is throughout of a pale carmine colour, and enr 
tiiely destitute of those remarkable spots so conspicuous in the above- 
mentioned figure.—- This is a strong character, but still insufiicient 
to induce us at once to pronounce them different ; the colours of 
some fishes are extremely fugitive and variable ; the young of various 
kinds are decorated with spots, which disappear in the adult state ; 
and again m others, spots and marks appear in the fish at maturity* 
which in the younger state are invisible ; as is abundantly proved 
in many instances of the Salmon tribe. Sometimes likewise it is the 
criterion of a sexual difference, as in the Torpedo, a young male of 
which, in our possession, exhibits those characteristic marks in thpmost 
singular manner, In the figure ofCepola Tasnia, giv'en by Bloch, the 
tips of the rays of both the anal and dorsal fin are bifurcated, while 
in our fisli they appear single; and tliis we imagined to be a striking 
character, till on expanding the fins of our fish they proved to be bi* 
furcated likewise. We should observe, that both those fins in our 
fish are very entire, while in Bloch’s figure the edges of them 
appear to have sustained some injury, as the tips of the rays extend 
much beyond the connecting membrane. — Mr. Moptagu thinks the 
two fishes he has met with male and female; could this be deter^ 
mined, it wopld remove from pur own minds a strong suspicion that 
the Taenia and ipbescens ar-e in reality only the two. sexes of the 
saws species. If we admit them as distinct species we have more 
reliance on the difference of their colours than any odrer character tloO 
two fishes appear to exhibit; and this, upon the whole, inclines 
to believe they may be distinct. 
