ARGENTINE. 
303 
suppose it would have been known if it had been the same 
with a species nearly resembling it, inhabiting the Mediterranean, 
and presently to be noticed. Nilsson mentions it as met with 
on the coasts of Scandinavia; but nowhere do we hear of it 
as seen in the open sea; but the larger number of examples 
discovered on our shores have been thrown on the beach in 
stormy weather, killed with the cold, or entangled in sea-weed. 
It has been supposed that they come near our coasts only or 
chiefly in the colder months, but those which were obtained 
in Somersetshire were taken in July. 
The example described, and from which our figure was 
taken, in length measured an inch and three fourths, and half 
an inch at its greatest depth, which was not far behind the 
head. The body compressed; mouth deej)ly cleft, descending; 
under jaw protruding. The head slopes from behind the 
eye to the mouth. Eye large, high on the cheek. Behind 
the vent the body tapers to the tail. Body and cheeks glistening 
like silver; hindmost gill-cover narrow. Dorsal fin above the 
interval between the vcntrals; but the rays could not be 
counted in any fin except the anal, where there were seven; 
the second dorsal or adipose fin was too obscure to have been 
discovered if not directed to it by description, but on close 
observation two or three rays were seen in it; pectoral fins 
loAV, close under the gill-covers; ventrals long and narrow; 
tail forked. A few bright and round silvery dots on the gill- 
covers, a double row of them along the border of the belly 
from the throat to the vent, twelve in number; another double 
row from the vent to the beginning of the anal fin, ending 
where is a single dot higher on the side; another double row 
of twenty-four smaller dots near each other running from thence 
to the tail. The lateral line first descends, and then runs 
straight to the caudal fin. Colour of the back dark bluish, 
blue tints on the belly; and it was observed that when these 
examples Avere taken from the water, the bright dots along the 
belly bore a reflection of pale green. 
Dj-. Clarke’s example measured almost two inches in length, 
and from his figure the shape was proportionally much more 
lengthened than that Ave have described; the dorsal fin further 
behind; anal fin much more lengthened, the first rays longer 
than the others; adipose more distant from the tail; ventrals 
