In one of the nests was an addled egg, which was thickly covered with very minute brownish green spots. Wool is the staple material of the nest; much exceeding in quantity the fine dried grass with which it is interwoven and with which the interior is lined: three reeds usually support the curious fabric, but in the present instance, a sucker from a poplar tree takes the place of one of them. An attempt to rear the young birds in confinement entirely failed; one of them surviving only a day, and another about double that time. I am, Sir, yours, &c. Stoke Newington, Sept. 30. 1831. J. G. ART. III. Further Observations on some of the Fishes of Cornwall. By JONATHAN COUCH, Esq. F.L.S. &c. (Continued from p. 24.) "The sounds and seas, each creek and bay, With fry innumerable swarm, and shoals Milton. REMARKS ON THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS TRIGLA. TRIGLA Hirundo (Tub-fish).—This is one of our commonest fishes. Its usual residence is at the bottom, in sandy or stony ground; but it sometimes rises to the surface, by the aid of its large pectoral fins, and strong and capacious air-bladder; an organ which in this genus is firm, and furnished with powerful muscles, interwoven with its tendinous structure. This fish, and perhaps most of its congeners, has the faculty of uttering distinct sounds, bearing a near resemblance to the grunting of a young pig; and this it will continue to do from the moment it is taken to near the time of its death. The use of the pectoral processes is doubtful. They have numerous joints along their course, and are inserted on the clavicle by a joint that allows of extensive motion. A process or trochanter passes off, into which is inserted a muscle of great power. When either of these jointed organs is directed forwards, it naturally bends into an arch. The tubfish sheds its spawn about Christmas, at no great distance from land. All the fishes of this genus are distinguished by their hard heads, formed of a crustaceous substance, enclosing and protecting the muscles; by their thick skin, stout bones, particularly the sternum or breastbone, and by the air-bladder, which may be taken from the body without discharging its contents. Trigla lyra L. (the Piper). Though the name of this species has a more direct reference to the sounds it is capable of uttering, it is not more distinguished for them than the tubfish, and some others. The piper wanders about more than the others, at least, of the Cornish species; consequently it is sometimes common, and at others, somewhat rare. The Streaked Gurnard (T. lineata Turt. Linn.) was found in Cornwall, by Mr. Jago: but I have never had the good fortune to meet with a specimen. 64 T. Cuculus (the Elleck). (fig. 64.) The elleck, red gurnard, or soldier, is called Cuculus, the cuckoo, from a supposed resemblance of its sounds to the note of that bird; or, as Aristotle says, because it utters the word koo. It abounds at all seasons, and in its habits it resembles the tub-fish. T. Gurnardus L. (Grey Gurnard). - Ray observes that the word gurnard, which may be regarded as the English term, is derived a grunnitu, from grunting like a hog. In this, however, I venture to think this eminent naturalist mistaken. Pengurn is the ancient Cornu-British name for these fishes, and signifies hard head; and its English translation is now sometimes given to the grey gurnard. From the Cornish word gurn (hard), I therefore derive the name, as descriptive of the head of these species. This is a common fish at all seasons; but in December and January it sometimes abounds to such a degree, that, as they are not much esteemed, I have known them sold at thirty for a penny. It keeps near the bottom commonly, at no great distance from land; but sometimes multitudes will mount together to the surface, and move along with the first dorsal fin above the water: they will even quit their native element, and spring to the distance of a yard; thus imitating the flying gurnard, though not to the same extent. In summer they are found basking in the sun, perhaps asleep, as they will at times display no signs of animation, until an attempt is made to seize them. PELLUCID OPHIDIUM (OPHI'DIUM PELLUCIDUM Couch). This fish (fig. 65.), of which I have seen four specimens, is 65 5 in. long, by half an inch deep; and so transparent, when living, that the co lours of the vessel in which it was swimming, could be seen through the thickest part of its substance. Head small, sloping towards the mouth, compressed, under jaw shortest, gill membrane attached, the opening near the pectoral fin. Eye large and bright; vent 1 in. from the head; at this point the body is deeper than along the abdomen, it then gradually grows narrower to the tail. Pectoral fins small, the dorsal fin beginning at about one third of the length of the body from the head, the anal at the vent; both joining to form the tail, as in the eel. Breast folded from the thorax to the vent. Lateral line straight, having along its course a row of black points; along each side of the abdominal plait, also, a row of points to the tail. The course of the ribs is distinctly marked; number of vertebræ counted, 150. The only opaque parts of this fish are the eyes; the iris resembling a plate of silver, the black pigment surrounding the posterior chamber also conspicuous; convolutions of the brain visible; no scales. One specimen differed from the others, in having two bifid teeth projecting forward from the under jaw; in proportion to the size of the fish they might be termed tusks: in this specimen, also, the body was raised a little immediately behind the head. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. Mode of Propagation in Eels. The generation of eels has been involved in extraordinary obscurity, notwithstanding the attention which eminent naturalists have paid to the subject. I have no doubt that the pearly white substance which lies along the course of the spine of this fish (the situation of the roe in most fishes) is the roe. Contrary to what is found in most species of fish, this roe contains a large quantity of fine oil; so free from fishy flavour, as to be commonly employed (at least, that found in the conger) in crusts and other culinary uses in Cornwall. In the fish its use seems to be to protect the delicate sexual organs from cold; for these organs are most developed in the coldest season of the year; and the whole constitution of the eel is remarkably susceptible of cold: it feels every change of temperature. There are no eels in the Danube, nor in any of its tributary streams. The rivers of Siberia, also, though large and numerous, are destitute of them; but Bélon found them of very large size in the Island of Lemnos. The eels which were the subjects of my observations and experiments were procured from the outer pier at Polperro, in the month of February; and, though the season was so cold that a sheet of ice was left on the beach when the tide receded, they seemed to have lost nothing of their activity. Placing a portion of this roe in the field of a powerful microscope, I find it consisting of globular grains, some far exceeding others in size; from which I conclude that some are just approaching to maturity; and that they are excluded in succession, considerable time elapsing between the expulsion of the first and last. It is impossible to imagine that these could ever have been hatched within the body; and still less, without that circumstance having long since been ascertained. The small size of the external orifice is a further proof of the same thing. To remove all doubt of this pearly substance being the roe, I burnt a portion of it in the flame of a candle, subjecting it at the same time to the judgment of one well acquainted with the smell of burnt roe of fish, which is sufficiently distinguished from every other smell. The individual was not acquainted with the intention of my enquiry, but the decision that it was the roe of fish was without hesitation. It is probable that the roe of the eel is rendered prolific previously to its exclusion; for Rondeletius says that he has seen eels cling together like dew-worms; it seems likely, also, that the grains are not deposited or covered, but rather left to float at random, as is certainly the case with many fishes. It seems difficult, on any other supposition, to account for the young eels coming to life at the distance of two or three leagues from land. Notwithstanding this distance, they soon find their way to the mouths of rivers. Young eels begin to appear in March, the earliest I have noted being on the 3d of that month, in 1828; and in 1830, after minute search, the first I could find was on the 24th. At this season, some are usually found so transparent that every internal action and organ may be examined. In making observations on eels, I have found much difficulty in keeping the fish in confinement; they made their escape from a large vessel, when the water was four inches below the brim. One was taken in the street on its way to the stream, others I never recovered; very small ones escaped with no greater difficulty than the larger. In all cases the escape was by night, I believe by placing the tail over the See a historico-geographical description of the north and eastern parts of Europe and Asia, but more particularly of Russia, Siberia, and Great Tartary; by Philip John von Strahlenberg; 4to, 1738; p. 361. edge of the vessel. I hope to be able to pursue this enquiry during the winter and following spring. The true Sprat very rare in Cornwall. — In reference to some observations by Mr. Yarrell, in the Zoological Journal, vol. iv. p. 466., relative to the distinction between the sprat and the young of the pilchard and herring, I can state that Cornish fishermen term the young of both the latter fishes sprats; but, how far this should go in determining the judgment of a naturalist will appear, when I add that I have never seen above one specimen of the genuine sprat in Cornwall, and that was brought me by a fisherman, to be informed what fish it was. In taking fish out of his net by night, he felt it to be neither a pilchard nor a herring, and supposed it something rare. The Black Fish of Jago, and its Synonymes. I have only further to add that I can now clear up a doubt in British ichthyology that has existed for a hundred years. I have at last ascertained what is the black fish of Jago, the Pérca nìgra of Turton and other authors. I believe it to be the Pompilus of Gesner and Ray. Two specimens were taken here in 1830 and 1831: one of which I minutely examined, and preserved a drawing of; of the other I received a figure and description. An error in Borlase's original description, of three fourths of an inch instead of three or four inches, has chiefly led to the continued mistake respecting this fish. - J. COUCH. SOME critical remarks on the want of proportion in some of our figures illustrative of Mr. Couch's first paper (p. 15–24.), will be found under Retrospective Criticism, in the present Number (p. 393.). The Short Sunfish (Orthagoriscus Mòla Fleming). — The present will not be an unfit place to notice a somewhat recent capture, in the neighbourhood of Plymouth, of a species of fish of comparative rarity on our shores : the Tétrodon Mola of the older authors, the Orthagoríscus Mòla of Dr. Fleming's British Animals. The following is a descriptive paragraph respecting it, which appeared in the Mirror of Sept. 10. 1831: "Curious Fish. - A most singular fish was brought to Plymouth, a short time since, by some fishermen, who secured it while driving for pil chards off the Mewstone. It was of an unknown species, not unlike a huge bream in shape, weighing 60 lbs.; and was 2 ft. 9 in. in length, 22 in. in depth, and about 8 in. in thickness. The dorsal and ventral fins were placed near the tail, stood off from the body, and measured each of them 1 ft. 3 in. long, both of them tapering to a point. The tail itself was 5 in. long and 16 in. in breadth, crescent-like in shape, and seemingly attached to the body by a kind of hinge. The fish had no nostrils; and its mouth was barely 1 in. wide. Instead of teeth, it was supplied with two solid sharp bones, in the form of gums. Behind the pectoral fins, which were very small, were the oval openings to the gills, and they had something of the figure of the human ear. Its skin was perfectly invulnerable, of a silvery hue, inclining to blackness towards the ridge of the back. The total absence of gills gave the head a most awkward appearance. W.G.C." |