228 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



slender compressed caudal peduncle, on which is inserted a completely de- 

 veloped caudal fin. Anus submedian. 



Lateral line simple, scarcely decurved from the scapular region, and con- 

 tinuous along the middle of the side to its end. 



Head much compressed, oblong, with the profile regularly decurved from 

 the nape or supraocular region to the snout, the occiput and forehead being 

 trenchant and elevated. Eyes moderate or rather large, subcircular, and 

 situated chiefly in the anterior half of the head. Operculum oblong, trape- 

 zoidal, not extending backwards as far as the pectoral fins, radiatedly striated 

 on the surface, and giving a fringed margin to the bone above its angle. Nos- 

 tril subcircular, in front of the eye. 



Mouth moderate, the supramaxillars extending only to about the vertical 

 of the front of the eye ; intermaxillars and supramaxillars free, the latter 

 highest towards the middle, where they are arched above, thence constricted 

 and little widened towards the ends, with a terminal extension downwards 

 abruptly truncated in front. Lower jaw deeply narrowed towards the sym- 

 physis, where it is moderately deep, and with the chin obtusely angulated. 



Teeth two or three strong, simple, compressed, recurved ones on each of 

 the intermaxillars in front, and behind a row of small ones. Lower jaw with 

 a row of nearly similar but straighter teeth. The palatines have a minute 

 row, and, finally, the tongue is armed also with minute ones on the lateral 

 margins. 



Dorsal fin commencing nearly over the eye, slowly decreasing in a continu- 

 ous line towards the caudal fin. Anal spines numerous, preceded by a dagger- 

 shaped spine behind the anus ; the spines mostly minute, free, posteriorly en- 

 larged, connected by the membrane and forming a fin. 



Caudal fin small, but normally developed, deeply forked and with subacute 

 lobes. 



Pectoral fins inserted almost horizontally, with the lowest rays longest and 

 the border of the fins above them emarginated. 



Ventral fins represented by short broad scales behind the pectoral region. 



This genus is at once distinguished from Lepidopus by the form of the head, 

 the origin of the dorsal fin, and the obtusely angular chin and the consequent 

 ascent of the jaw forwards to the symphysis above. It is at present only cer- 

 tainly known as a West Indian type, but it is probable that a representative 

 of it has wandered to the British shores, and been noticed under the name of 

 Trichiurus lepturus. 



EVOXYMETOPOX T.ENIATUS Poey. 



The greatest height equals about a twelfth of the extreme length, while the 

 head forms about an eighth of the same. The head is oblong, trenchant 

 above, elevated above the eyes for a space considerably greater than the di- 

 ameter of the eye, and decurved very obliquely downwards to the snout. 

 The diameter of the orbit enters about six times in the head's length. The 

 first ten dorsal spines are undivided ; the rest split. 



B. 7. D. 87. A. 19. C. 17. P. 12. 



The color is silvery, with about six narrow reddish bands most distinct 

 behind, the first on the ridge of the back and the fifth along the lateral line. 



One specimen, nearly five feet long, was procured by Prof. Poey, and has 

 been kindly presented to the Smithsonian Institution. Is not this at least 

 closely related to the fish found on the beach of the ' ' Moray Frith, near the 

 fishing village of Port Gordon, " about three miles east from the mouth of the 

 river Spey, "on the 12th of November, 1S12,"' and noticed by Mr. James 

 Hoy ?* The specimen was referred by Hoy to the Trichiurus lepturus, but it 



*For a notice of this fish, see the Transactions of the Linnean S. >ciety of Scotland, vol.xi. p. 210, 

 and Yarrell's History of British Fishes, ed. 2, vol. i. p. 2uG. 



[Sept. 



