82 



Ch on dracd nth us Loph ii, 



a, Chondracanthus L&phii, natural size, back view ; b, the same on the ventral side ; c, the 

 same magnified. 



front, narrowed behind to form a sort of short neck. Antennae 

 two pairs, the first pair placed on each side of the frontal sinus, 

 small, cylindrical, with a bulging basis ; the second pair 

 lateral, pointing backwards, larger, but, otherwise similar to 

 the first. Mouth inferior, placed at the base of the first pair 

 of antennae, furnished with a pair of sharp curved mandibles. 

 Body oblong, divided into three portions by deep sinuations. 

 The back convex, with a row of soft spines down the middle. 

 There are two similar spines at eachsinuation, and the posterior 

 angles are terminated by one spine thicker than the others ; 

 the spines of the dorsal line are always six in number, exclu- 

 sive of a small tubercle behind the first. Ventral surface with 

 two pairs of unequal, unjointed, forked, rather nodulous, 

 feet ; the forks unequal, obtuse, and a single soft spine near 

 the middle behind these, and another towards the tail. Fila- 

 ments originating in the, ventral side, near the margin, and 

 between the lateral processes, filiform, tortuous, and com- 

 pactly filled with egg-like bodies. 



I found several specimens of this species, which is not de- 

 scribed in any work to which I have access, in the pouches 

 under the fins of the Lophius piscatorius. They were all 

 alike, and adhered to the skin very closely. Its strong resem- 



