History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

164 FISHES. CHONDROPT. Ammoccetesnumberand disposition of the teeth vary according to the age of the individual.—This species enters the rivers from the sea, in the beginning of theyear ; spawns in March or April ;the ocean.and, about mid-summer, returns again toThe P. Jura, which Dr MacCulloch describes and figuresin his " WesternIslands," ii. J 86, tab. xxix. fig. 1. probably belongs to this species, with whichit agrees in external characters. The differences in the teeth are at presentof doubtful value.Gen. II. AMMOCCETES. Pride— Maxillary ring withoutteeth.Lips semicircular.3. A branchialis. Common Pride.— The two dorsal finsnarrow, united with each other and with the tail.Lampetra parva fluviatilis, Merr. Pin. 188. Ray, Syn.— Pise 36. Petromyzonbranchialis, Linn. Syst.i. 394. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 80 EStone Grig In rivers in England.This species seldom exceeds 8 inches in length, and a quarter of an inch indiameter. The bodyis marked by numerous transverse lines, giving it anannulated appearance. Tail lanceolate.— Frequent in the rivers near Oxford,and other places of England, lodging ki the mud.Gen. III. MYXINE. Hag—A temporal orifice. Mouthround, the margin with eight processes,and a single largetooth in the palate.4. M. glutinosa. Glutinous Hag.— Dorsal fin narrow, continuedround the tail to the vent.Linn. Syst. ii, 1080. Penn. Brit. Zool. iv. p. 39, tab. xx. fl 15 On theEnglish coast.Length about 8 inches. Body nearly cylindrical, and destitute of eyes orscales.Margin of the tongue, on each side, with a series of pectinated teeth.— This species, which seems to have been confounded with the preceding, byWilloughby and ltay, and which was placed by Linneus among the vermes, inhabitsthe ocean. It enters the mouths of fish when on the hooks of linesthat remain a tide under water, and totally devours the carcase, except skinand bones. The Scarborough fishermen often take it in the robbed fish, ondrawing up their lines. It is the Gastrobranchus of Bloch.Pristis Autiquorum. The late Dr Walker, in his MS. Adversaria for 1769,p. 41, when noticing some British fishes not in Pennant, adds, in referenceto this " species, Found sometimes in Loch Long." I have not met withany other proof of its ever having visited the British shores.Gen. IV. SQUALUS. Sail-Fish.— Teeth simple, conical,pointed. The first dorsal fin nearly above the pectorals.5. S. maximus. Common Sail-Fish.— Branchial aperturesextending nearly across the neck, in front of the pectorals.Linn. Syst. 400— Basking Shark, Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 101. tab. xiii.Home, Phil. Trans. 1809, p. 208— E, Sun-fish ; G, Cterban ; N, Brugde.—Commonon the west coast.