Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/134

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106
Fishes.

it, and when they darted at it would go beyond the mark; in such cases they continued trying until the worm was at the proper distance. The length of one was five inches, of the other six; the largest one had the brightest colours.—W. Thompson; London, January, 1843.

[The first description of the sand-lizard (Lacerta agilis, Linn.) as a British animal, occurs in the sixteenth volume of the 'Transactions of the Linnean Society,' by the Rev. Revett Shepherd. He follows Merrett and Ray in giving it the specific name of anguiformis. Mr. Bell, in his 'British Reptiles,' restores the Linnean name to this beautiful and comparatively rare species, and refers our common British lizard to the Zootoca vivipara of Wagler, the Lacerta vivipara of Jacquin.—Ed.]



Description of Muller's Top-knot (Rhombus hirtus, Mull.), taken from a fresh specimen. By F.W.L. Ross, Esq.[1]


Muller's Top-knot, (Rhombus hirtus).

Length 6½ inches, greatest depth 4½; length of the head one third the entire length of the fish, tail not included. The dorsal fin rises just above the upper lip, and is continued under the caudal, which is free: the first rays are about one third the length of the longest; they gradually increase in length to about four fifths of their extent, where they attain their greatest length, then decrease to the end under the tail, the last six rays being short and delicate. The rays are strong

  1. Communicated by G.R. Gray, Esq.