116 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



The lateral is only arched before, and for most of its course is straight and 

 nearly central between the dorsal and abdominal outlines. 



The head is cuboid, and covered with the naked and smooth skin. 



The anus is situated far forwards. The anal fin commences close behind 

 and is very long, having about thirty or more rays. The ventral fins are jugu- 

 lar, and each has a spine and five branched rays. 



I. Leptoscopus Gill. 



Leptoscopus Gill, Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadel- 

 phia, 1859, 133. Gunther, Catalogue of Acanthopterygian Fishes, &c, 

 vol. ii. p. 231. 

 Uranoscopus sp. Richardson. 



Head above little longer than wide. Preoperculum not armed. Operculum 

 fringed behind. Lower jaw entire beneath. No intralabial filament nor mental 

 barbel. Villiform teeth present on the vomerine and palatine bones, as well 

 as on the jaws. Branchial apertures only partially open above. Scales of the 

 lateral line largest. Dorsal fin with no spines, commencing behind the vertical 

 of the anus. 



A single species of this genus has been discovered in the Australian seas, at 

 Port Jackson. 



Leptoscopus macropygus Gill. 



Uranoscopus macropygus Richardson, Voyage of the Erebus and Terror. 



Fishes, p. 55, pi. 33, figs. 4, 5, 6. 

 Leptoscopus macropygus Gill, Proceedings of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philada,, 1850, p. 133. 



II. Ckapatamjs G'dnther. 



Crapatalus Gunther, Annals and Magazine of Natural History, ser. iii. vol. vii. 

 p. 86, Feb. 1861. 



Head above little longer than wide. Preoperculum unarmed. Margin of 



'the operculum fringed. Lower jaw entire. No intralabial filament nor mental 



liarbel. Villiform teeth present only on the jaws ; palate smooth. Branchial 



apertures partially open above. The dorsal fin has no spines, and commences 



behind the vertical of the anus. 



This very interesting genus has been recently made known by Dr. Giin- 

 ther, by whom it was described in the " Annals and Magazine of Natural His- 

 tory.' ' It affords additional evidence, if any more was needed, of the pro- 

 priety of the approximation of the genus Dactyloscopus to the Leptoscopinae. 

 Although the only distinctive character of great value which now distinguishes 

 the latter group is the condition of the ventral fins, I still regard it as repre- 

 senting a distinct subfamily. The modification of the ventral fins is of greater 

 value in the family of Cranoscopoids than the dentition. As we might expect 

 to find a variation in the latter character, on account of the known affinities 

 of the family, so have we not been totally unprepared to discover the anoma- 

 lous and blennoid structure of the ventral fins of Dactyloscopus. That genus, 

 as I had at first supposed, would not improbably be regarded as a Blennoid, 

 but the reference of the genus to that family, simply on account of the presence 

 of only three articulated and unbranched ventral rays, would violate all 

 natural affinities. 



Crapatalus Nov^e ZELAXDiiE Giinther. 



Crapatalus Nova? Zelandise, Giinther, Annals and Magazine of Natural His- 

 tory, ser. iii. vol. vii. p. 86, pi. x, fig. A. 

 Habitat. New Zealand. 



Dactyloscopin.e Gill. 



Dactyloscopinfe Gill, Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science of Phila- 

 delphia, 1859, p. 133. 



[May, 



