176 
EK STROM’S TOPKNOT. 
Bhomhiif cardina, 
“ norvegieus, 
Fbtes anij Ekstrom: Scandinavian 
Fishes, pi. 60. 
GiiKTiiEE : Cat. Br. M.. vol. iv. p. 412. 
There is much confusion in the two or three writers I 
have been able to consult on the fish to which 1 have assigned 
the English name as above j and there cannot he a doubt 
that the name Ehombus cardina given to it by the Swedish 
authors, in their work on Scandinavian fishes is misapplied, as 
it hears little likeness to the species which is thus named hy 
Cuvier, who refers to Jago’s figure in Ray’s Synopsis, f. %, 
where it is represented under the name of Whift'. This Iasi: 
named fish, Rhoinbus cardina of Cuvier, is the Carter of our 
work. But on the other hand, Ekstrom’s Topknot so nearly 
resembles the species of Topknots we have already described, 
that I have no douht it has been hitherto confounded with 
them, although when seen together the difierence is easily 
discerned. * 
The example from which our figure and description have 
been taken, is the first that has been recognised in Britain; 
and it was caught in the Bristol Channel early in the year 
1863, from whence it came into the possession of Edmund T. 
Higgins, Esq., to whom I am indebted for the opportunity of 
making it known to naturalists. 
Its habits appear to he little known even to the Swedish 
authors. Fries, Ekstrom, and Nilsson, who mention it; but 
there is reason to believe that its resort is less in rocky 
ground than the two other kinds of Topknots. Compared 
with them the proportion is not nearly so wide in comparison 
with the length, and it is also much thinner; gape wide; 
angle of the mouth depressed; lower jaw a little protruding, 
with a small chin. Eyes near each other, separated by a thin 
