fish has the power of extending and contracting at will. When extended, it takes the form of a hog's snout, hence the name of boarfish. I suspended the fish under a glass shade, and placed a few sea weeds &c. on the stand. When quite completed, I made a painting of it, and succeeded in representing the colours pretty correctly. I shall be most happy for my performance to be shown to any of your correspondents who will call at No. 3, Cranbourn St., Brighton.
Brighton, April 12, 1843.
[Our correspondent having with great kindness forwarded to us his painting of this rare fish, our artist has made a very accurate engraving from it, which we have much pleasure in presenting to our readers as the only figure of a British specimen of the boar-fish that has ever been published. It will be observed that it differs very remarkably from Mr. Yarrell's figure,[1] in the elongate snout-like mouth. Mr. Yarrell's figure was drawn from a specimen in the museum of the Zoological Society, presented by the Rev. R. T. Lowe, of Madeira, where it was captured. The following quotation from the 'History of British Fishes,' comprises a record of all that is known of this rare fish.—Ed.]
Note on the Boar-fish.A specimen of the Capros Aper of authors having been taken in Mount's Bay, in October, 1825, and a notice of the occurrence forwarded to the Zoological Society, with a drawing and description by Dr. Henry Boase, a figure and short account necessarily belong to a 'History of British Fishes.' Its right to rank among them is confirmed by the fact, that at the moment of preparing this account, by the united kindness of W.C. Trevelyan, Esq., of Nettlecombe, and Mr. William Baker, of Bridgewater, I have been favoured with a notice of the occurrence of a second example of this rare fish, which was obtained in Bridgewater fish-market on the 18th of April, 1833. A drawing of the fish, made while the specimen retained its natural colour, also accompanied the communication. Mr. Baker has since been kind enough to give me his specimen just referred to, and Mr. Harvey, of Teignmouth, has recently obtained an example of this rare fish on the Devonshire coast. The Capros, according to the ancient authorities, was known to Aristotle. It is figured and described by Rondeletius, and again by Willughby,[2] as quoted. It is said to have been called by several names that signify wild boar and marine boar, on account of its projecting nose and mouth, the form of the head, and its bristling spines.—History of British Fishes, by William Yarrell, i. 191. 2nd ed.
Note on the Preservation of Fishes. Mr. Kidd has transmitted a specimen of the streaked wrasse (Labrus lineatus), as an example of his mode of preserving fishes. We have placed it in the hands of our publisher, Mr. Van Voorst, who will be happy to show it to any of our readers. The great desiderata, preservation of form and colour, appear to be perfectly attained.—Ed.
