5. AN ACCOUNT OF FISHES DISCOVERED OR OBSERVED IN MADEIRA SINCE THE YEAR 1842*. BY THE REV. R. T. Lowe, M.A.

C.

1. ZEUS CONCHIFER.

Family ZENIDE.

Lilacino-cinereus, capite inermi; thorace pinnaque dorsali analique utrinque scutatis; spinis dorsalibus anterioribus brevissime filamentosis; pinnis ventralibus 1+5radiatis; caudali lunata.

D. 9 v. 10+25 v. 26; A. 2 + (1 + 25 v. 26); P. 13; V. +5; 1+I+V. 1+I.+VI. An example of this very fine new Dory was communicated, with a short notice, to the Zoological Society in 1845 +. The row of large and remarkable naked bony scutella on each side, at the base of the dorsal and anal fins, and along the breast or ventral line, afford a very striking character. They resemble the depressed shells of a Fissurella seen in profile, and are beautifully radiato-striate, with a bright iridescent rose or lilac lustre, like the inside of a Trigonia. The umbo forms a smooth short strong spine or recurved prickle. The dark thumb-mark on the middle of the sides is present, as in Z. Gallus, L. Three examples only have occurred, measuring from eighteen inches to a little more than two feet in length.

; M. B. 7; Vertebræ, 13 abd. + 21 caud. = 34.

The supposed affinity between Zeus and Oreosoma, Cuv.‡, is much corroborated by this fish.

2. ARGYROPELICUS OLFERSII. (Sternoptyx Olfersii, Cuv. R. An. (2nd edit.) ii. 316. t. 13. f. 2.)

A single example, caught with a boatscoop on the surface of the water in the Bay of Funchal, June 6, 1845.

The name of Pleurothysis, proposed in the 'Fishes of Madeira,' p. 64, for this portion of the Cuvierian genus Sternoptyx, has been anticipated by that of Argyropelicus, previously assigned to a Mediterranean species by the Italian naturalist Cocco, and adopted in the 'Fauna Italica' by the Prince of Canino.

I have now succeeded in obtaining both the Cuvierian species of Sternoptyx in this part of the Atlantic; though St. diaphana (Le St. d'Herman, Cuv.) cannot, like Arg. Olfersii, be perhaps fairly claimed at present to belong to the Madeiran fauna §.

The Atlantic and Mediterranean species of Argyropelicus may be thus distinguished:

ARG. OLFERSII, Cuv. Corpore altiore, altitudine dimidium longitudinis (dempta pinna caudali) superante; parte postica (caudali) abbreviata; capite duplo altiore quam longo; sterno

Proc. Zool. Soc., June 1843, part 11. p. 81.

† Ibid. part 13. p. 103.

§ Proc. Zool. Soc. part 11. p. 85.

Fishes of Madeira, Preface, p. xii.

postice in forcipem, præoperculo inferne in aculeum simplicem desinente. (St. Olfersii, Cuv. 1. c.)

ARG. HEMIGYMNUS, Cocco. Corpore angustiore, altitudine dimidium longitudinis (dempta pinna caudali) æquante; parte postica (caudali) elongata; capitis longitudine altitudinem aquante; sterno postice in angulum simplex acutum, præoperculo inferne in aculeos duos desinente. (Arg. hemigymnus v. Sternoptyx mediterranea, Cocco et Buon. Faun. Ital. cum fig.) This extraordinary group of fishes offers many points of analogy with Berycida.

Fam. LICHIIDÆ.

3. TEMNODON VADIGO. (Lichia vadigo, Cuv. et Val. viii. 363. t. 235.)

A single example was taken in February 1846, but it appeared to be quite unknown to the fishermen, and is therefore to be regarded as a mere straggler in these seas.

If the genus Temnodon be retained, this fish has precisely the same claims to a place in it as the common "Anchova" of Madeira (T. saltator, Cuv. et Val.).

Fam. SCOMBride.

4. SCOMBER COLIAS (Gm.), Cuv. et Val. viii. 39. t. 209. (The Spanish Mackerel, Yarr. Brit. Fish. i. 131.)

In April 1844, the market in Funchal was plentifully supplied with these fishes for two or three successive days. They were said to have been brought from Porto Santo.

5. AUXIS VULGARIS, Cuv. et Val. viii. 139. t. 216.

A single example, February 3, 1845. Not quite unknown to the fishermen, but its occurrence said to be a mere chance.

6. PELAMYS SARDA, Cuv. et Val. viii. 149. t. 217.

October 27, 1844: a single example, called "Sarda" by the fishermen, to whom it is not absolutely unknown, though, like the last, of merely casual occurrence.

Fam. TANIOIDE.

7. TRACHYPTERUS GRYPHURUS. Corpore elongato, macula posteriore laterali spatio tertiam partem totius longitudinis æquante a basi pinnæ caudalis amota; pinnarum radiis scabris; linea laterali inermi, postice supra marginem ventralem desinente.

D. 5+ 166; P. 10 v. 11; V.1+5; A.0; C.

VIII.
5

; M. B. 6.

Intermediate between T. falx and T. iris of Cuvier and Valenciennes' 'Histoire,' vol. x. pp. 333, 341; approaching, perhaps, near

est to the latter, but differing in its deeper shape (D=5 instead

of

L

+10),

and in the backwarder position of the third dark side9 or 10 spot. The ventral fins are short, only equalling one-twelfth of the body without the caudal fin, and the four first produced rays of the first dorsal are equal in length to the ventral fins. The lateral line ends as in MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes' figure (t. 297) of T. iris, but is quite unarmed. The ventral line is serrulate, and the whole surface, particularly towards the ventral line, is finely shagreened or granulate; the granulations becoming stronger towards the ventral line, as in the same figure.

In shape and proportions it agrees better with T. falx, but differs in several important particulars from MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes' description of that fish.

The only individual examined of this beautiful and extraordinary fish occurred in June 1845, and has been added by me to the collection of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. It was scarcely quite dead when I first saw it, and was in the most perfect state of preservation. Another Trachypterus had occurred in June 1844, and was probably the same species; but the example was unfortunately thrown away by the person to whom it had been mis-sent without my seeing it. It was said to have been about three feet long.

The whole body is pure bright silver, appearing as if frosted from the fine granulations of the surface. The fins are of a delicate scarlet or vermilion, the lower point or angle of the caudal being tipped, and the hinder end of the dorsal edged with black. On the sides are three blackish oval or elliptic spots. This example was twenty-five inches long, exclusive of the caudal fin, which resembles a bat's or griffin's wing, and is erected in a fan-like manner; the lower lobe or portion being suppressed or undeveloped, and only indicated by the presence of five short spinules or abortive rays.

Fam. LABRIdæ.

8. LABRUS LARVATUS. Flavus, capite humerisque griseo-nigrescente larvatis; pinna dorsali antice caudaque utrinque infra lineam lateralem rectiusculam unimaculatis; corpore oblongo elongato; dentibus validis crebris, antice biseriatis; pinna caudalis apicibus analisque ventraliumque margine cæruleonigris.

D. 17+13; A. 3+11; P. 16; V. 1+5; C. Squamæ lin. lat. 42-45.

3 v. 4+ VI.
2 v. 3+ V.

; B. M.5;

In general appearance, shape, and the peculiar straightness of the lateral line, this fine species much resembles Cossyphus Darwini, Jen.; but it is a true Labrus, with the dorsal and anal fins naked, and the preopercle quite entire. Its nearest allies are therefore L. mixtus and L. Scrofa; from which however, besides other characters, the numerous strong teeth distinguish it. A single example only has occurred, measuring seventeen inches and a quarter in length.