lum, and takes a curve, passing with a slight deflection over the pectoral fin, thence straight to the middle of the tail. The colour of the whole upper surface is a dark reddish brown, mottled with rather large black-brown spots and irregular smaller markings, which extend over the fins. The pectoral fin on the under side much smaller than the upper, 4½ lines in length, the under side perfectly smooth, and when alive of a pure white, which changes to a pinkish white after death, with a silvery spot on the gill-covers; the colour of the back also fades considerably.
No. of fin-rays.— D. 100. P. 12. V. 6. A. 5. C. 15.
It will be seen by the figure that this fish is distinct from Rhombus punctatus, which Mr. Yarrell describes as having the caudal free, the dorsal and anal passing under it, as in the above. The spots on the back seem to correspond tolerably well with those in Mr. Yarrell's figure.
The specimen was taken in a drift net off Teignmouth, the 2nd of January, 1843, and was perfectly unknown to the fishermen.
[In Rhombus hirtus[1] "both dorsal and anal fins end on the same plane, and are connected to the fleshy portion of the tail by a membrane;" the figure bears out this description: "the under side of the body is smooth and white." In Rhombus punctatus "the dorsal fin commencing immediately in advance of the upper eye, and extending very nearly to the caudal, at the same time passing underneath the tail, where the rays become very delicate; greatest elevation of the fin near its ventral extremity; first ray very much produced, nearly three times the length of those which follow; most of the rays divided at their tips; some of the last in the fin branched from the bottom: anal fin commencing in a line with the posterior line of the preopercle, answering to the dorsal and terminating in the same manner beneath the tail," &c, "both sides of the body, but more especially the upper, extremely rough."[2] In a note to the editor Mr- Yarrell observes " there is no really specific distinction between the Rhombus of your correspondent and that which I have figured; the difference in the termination of the dorsal and anal fins is obvious on the white side only, which I have not figured. My description might have been more clear on this point."—Ed.]
Note on the voracity and carnivorous propensity of the Eel. On the 21st of May, 1829, I was witness to a scene of no ordinary occurrence. Whilst walking near the bank of the principal water in Pilling, in the parish of Garstang, Lancashire, I beheld opposite to me a large rat, apparently struggling and evidently much alarmed, in a
