478 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



in the mouth. Seven short-conical, rather hlunt teeth, with the anterior two 

 twice as large as the others, stand upon the vomer ; the anterior second tooth 

 a little beyond the line of the others, otherwise they form a straight series. 

 The palatine teeth number twelve or thirteen ; they are very much compressed, 

 acute, are set near to each other, and are inwardly directed ; these form the outer 

 and principal series. Two much larger ones, very near the commencement of 

 the outer series, and within that series, form the interior row. This inner row 

 is similar in its characters, except as to number, to the outer row of palatines. 

 The mandible is armed with a compliment of twenty-two, short, compressed 

 teeth, all inwardly directed ; the six upon the extremity of the jaw, are three 

 times as great in length, as the principal series, and between them is generally 

 a pair of minute teeth, which are hidden by the lip, and often entirely con- 

 cealed in the soft parts of the jaw. 



Color. The head and body are of a uniform dark umber, the back and sides 

 crossed by coarse reticulations of bright sienna. The fins are nearly black, 

 with the reticulating bands that cross the body, continuous upon them. The 

 head is free from the bands of sienna, as is the throat and a small anterior 

 portion of the belly. Upon the throat and sides of the neck are narrow longi- 

 tudinal black lines, extending as far back as the gill-opening. 



Total length 18 inches. To anus 8 inches. To gill-opening 2 l-5th inches. 



Habitat. Sandwich Islands. 



This handsomely marked species of Thyrsoidea has every appearance of a 

 Murana, and unless closely examined might be referred that genus. The pres- 

 ence of the inner row of palatine teeth, however, preclude the propriety of its 

 being so classed. This species belongs to that class of the genus, which has 

 but two teeth upon the inner row of palatines ; a peculiarity which is of too 

 slight importance to be considered generic, and is too constant to be considered 

 specific. The specimen from which the description was taken, was presented 

 to the Academy by Dr. J. K. Townsend. 



This species is named in honor of Dr. J. J. Kaup, of Darmstadt, to whom 

 science is indebted for the first systematic elucidation of the history of the 

 Apodal Fishes. 



5. Thyrsoidea eurosta, Abbott. Spec. char. Head large, depressed; 

 the facial outline very slightly oblique. The fold of the skin enveloping the 

 lorsal fin is very thick, and arises slightly behind the occiput, nearly perpen- 

 dicularly; the fin is of uniform height for two-thirds of its length, when it 

 slowly decreases to its termination. The eye is large, circular, and slightly 

 behind the extremity of the snout ; the orbits are one diameter and a half dis- 

 tant. The jaws are of equal length, and rather slender; the lower jaw with a 

 flight upward curve at its extremity, making the large mandibular teeth 

 partially visible when the mouth is closed. The nasal teeth number ten ; they 

 are biserial, and the inner row are twice as large in every respect as the outer 

 iow; they are conical, acute, and with a decided inward inclination. The 

 palatine teeth number twenty-eight upon the outer row; and nine upon the 

 inner row. The teeth constituting the outer row of palatines are short, very 

 much compressed and acute ; they have a moderate inward inclination. The 

 inner row of palatines are widely set, of various lengths, and have a gape in 

 their series, commencing posteriorly opposite the posterior margin of the orbit, 

 and ceasing opposite the anterior edges of the orbit; the teeth upon the inner 

 series are more than twice as large in all respects as those of the outer row. 

 The vomerine teeth number twelve, nine of which are in a direct line, and the 

 remaining three concurrent with the central three of the series. The lower jaw 

 is armed with a complement of twenty-four compressed, acute teeth, having a 

 decidedly inward inclination ; the posterior twelve of these are closely set, and 

 in an unbroken series ; the anterior twelve are arranged in pairs, except at the 

 extremity of the jaw, where they form two square patches of four teeth each. 



Color. The body and head are of a uniform reddish brown, which become 



[Oct. 



