184 "ENDEAVOUR'' SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



and likewise forming a small anterior angle. A paired 

 crest commences at the middle of the orbital margin and, 

 converging towards its fellow, disappears on the nape. 

 Broad septate canals, covered by delicate membrane, 

 extend backward from the snout to below the hinder 

 margin of the eye, and then turning sharply upward unite 

 with a similar canal, which runs backward from the 

 interorbital region to the shoulder; another broad canal 

 is present between the inner crest and edge of the pre- 

 operculum. Opercular bones thin, their margins mem- 

 branaceous; suboperculum produced backward as an 

 angular lobe. Nostrils close together, a little before the 

 antero-superior angle of the eye; the anterior round, the 

 posterior an oblique slit. Eye very large, the orbital 

 margin just cutting the profile. Mouth oblique, the 

 maxillary reaching backward to below the posterior third 

 of the eye; it is very narrow posteriorly. 



Premaxillaries with an outer row of strong curved 

 cardiform teeth, which are spaced and largest anteriorly ; 

 behind these is a band of villiform teeth formed of narrow 

 oblique rows with grooves between them. Mandible with 

 a single row of teeth which are small anteriorly but 

 become larger on the sides. Palate and tongue toothless. 

 A small mental barbel. Anterior gill-rakers of first arch 

 tubercular and unarmed, ten on the lower limb of the first 

 arch ; those on the hinder edge are larger, pedunculate 

 and armed with spines. 



Head and body almost entirely denuded of scales, 

 only a few remaining on the posterior half of the inter- 

 orbital region, on the lower surface of the mandible, and 

 on the under surface of the thorax and abdomen. A scale 

 from near the vent is armed with long spines upon its 

 exposed surface, arranged in oblique rows, and directed 

 obliquely outward and backward. No naked groove 

 before the vent. 



The dorsal fin originates behind the vertical of the 

 pectoral and ventral fins, and the length of its base is 

 but little more than that of the eye; the first ray is 

 without articulations and its edges are smooth. The 

 second dorsal commences far behind the tip of the 

 adpressed first dorsal (in other specimens the interval 

 between the two fins is variable, the anterior rays of 

 the second being overlapped by the tip of the first dorsal 

 in young examples) ; the anterior rays are minute but 



