131 



M Seven examples of the Lamprey, {Petr. marinus, L.,) were re- 

 ceived on the 3rd of May from the Severn, about which time they 

 ascend that river for the purpose of spawning. Of these seven, 

 four were males and three females : the appearance of milt and ova 

 being most distinct. The kidneys, lying in the cavity of the abdo- 

 men, were of equal size in both sexes, elongated and narrow in form, 

 with the ureter running the whole length of the outer edge. The 

 anal opening is situated anterior to a small sheath, which when slit 

 up exposes four apertures, the two innermost of which lead to the 

 ureters ; the outer two open into the abdominal cavity. 



" In the Eels no part of the kidneys is visible within the cavity 

 of the abdomen, and the vent includes but four apertures, — the most 

 anterior of which leads to the intestine ; the posterior to the urinary 

 bladder; and two elongated lateral openings into the cavity of the 

 abdomen, as in other true bony fishes." 



Specimens were exhibited of several Fishes, lately received from 

 Dr. Bancroft of Kingston, Jamaica, Corr. Memb. Z. S. They were 

 accompanied by a Letter from Dr. Bancroft, in which various de- 

 tails were given with respect to their distinctions from allied species: 

 particular attention was also directed to the anatomical structure 

 of the disc of the Sucker -fishes, {Echeneis, L.,) a new species of which 

 genus formed part of the collection. This has the elongated form 

 and general aspect of Ech. Naucrates,L., but is at once distinguished 

 by the forked termination of its caudal fin. It may be thus charac- 

 terized : 



Echeneis lunata. Ech. corpore elongato, squamoso; disci striis 

 22 — 25 ; pinna caudali lunata ; pectoralibus acutis. 

 D. 30. vel 32. A. 30. vel 33. C. 16. P. 21. V. 6. 



Long, circa 3-ped. 



Its colour is described as a full black on the upper and anterior 

 portion of the back, and dark grey over the rest of the body, with 

 a lighter grey stripe from near the eye to near the vent : all the 

 fins are of a dark grey, passing into black at the anterior and outer 

 portions : the lateral line consists of very small black points : and 

 the iris is of a pure white. The dorsal fin is sometimes destroyed 

 in the middle, and is thus made to appear like two distinct fins. 



A specimen of a Cephalopterus, Dum., included in the collection, 

 is regarded by Dr. Bancroft as the type of a new species, amply 

 distinguished from the Cephalopterus Mania described by him in the 

 « Zoological Journal' by the form of the anterior margin of its pec- 

 toral fins; the position of its mouth on the ventral surface; and the 

 rounded form of its spiracula, which are not on the dorsal surface 

 (as in the Rays generally)* but are situated in a groove immediately 

 under the anterior edge of the base of the pectoral fin. It may be 

 thus characterized : 



Cephalopterus hypostomus. Ceph. Icevis ; ore infero ; pin- 

 narum pectoralium margine antico delivi recto ; spiraculis injbssd 

 sub basin anticam pinnarum pectoralium sitis. 



The entire length of the specimen from the apex of the frontal 



