HOLIBUT. 323 



in the shop of a London fishmonger, supplied the means of 

 obtaining the following description : 



The length of the head compared to the whole length of 

 the fish without the caudal rays, is as one to four ; the great- 

 est breadth one third of the whole length, dorsal, anal, and 

 caudal fin-rays all excluded : the "head small, but the mouth 

 large ; teeth in two rows in each jaw, small for the size of the 

 fish, conical, pointed, and separated ; the irides yellow, the 

 pupils black ; the pectoral fin on the coloured or dextral side 

 one-fourth larger than that on the white or under side ; the 

 dorsal fin commences in a line over the eye, the rays longest 

 over the widest part of the body ; the anal fin of similar cha- 

 racter : both dorsal and anal fins terminate on the same plane, 

 and distinct from the caudal fin, the posterior margin of 

 which is concave ; the ventral fins are small, the white ventral 

 fin of the under side the smaller of the two : immediately in 

 advance of the commencement of the anal fin are two aper- 

 tures ; the anterior opening large, and evidently connected 

 with the intestines ; the posterior opening smaller, and appa- 

 rently the outlet from the urinary bladder and sexual organs. 

 The fin-rays in number were 



D. 104 : P. 16 : V. 6 : A. 81 : C. 16. 



The form of the body elongated ; the surface smooth, 

 covered with small oval-shaped soft scales ; the lateral line 

 arched over the pectoral fin ; the colour composed of different 

 shades varying from light brown to dusky brown ; the surface 

 of the under side perfectly smooth and white. 



