186 ON A NEW GENUS OF FISHES FROM INDIA. 



distinguishable, taking the form of dorsal profile, at first 

 nearer to the dorsal than ventral outline, then midway be- 

 I tween them : vent 11 lines from extremity of lower jaw. 

 Fins. — Ventrals originate 3j lines from last-named point, 

 have six or seven rays, the three or four inner ones of ordina- 

 ry size and bifurcated, the three outer unbranched, greatly 

 prolonged, and of singular structure, the first 13, the second 

 and third 18 lines in length ; they are beautifully and conspi- 

 cuously articulated, the articulations increasing in length to- 

 wards the filamentous termination ; these rays are very broad 

 towards the base, and are winged or margined on either side 

 by a beautifully transparent process, in form calling to mind 

 the dorsal lamitia of the cephalopodous genus Loligo: pec- 

 torals elongate triangular, placed high, originating 5|- lines 

 from snout, 5j lines long, first ray shorter than the succeed- 

 ing nineteen, the shorter bifurcated, the longer unbranched, 

 protected by scales at the base : first dorsal broadly triangu- 

 lar, originating about 12 lines from snout, base occupying 7 

 lines, longest ray equal in length to the greatest depth of bo- 



/^ dy , nineteen unbranched rays ; second dorsal originating close 



behind the first, extending for 15 lines, to the base of caudal, 



<^low and of uniform height at first, then becoming of moderate 



)0' elevation, thirty-six ? unbranched rays ; anal originating llj- 

 lines from point of lower jaw and extending to base of cau- 

 dal, occupying '21 lines, about the first third broadly triangu- 

 lar and very prominent, its longest ray 7 lines, next third low, 

 short and equal, last third rather more than moderately deve- 

 loped, longest ray of this portion 3 lines, sixty unbranched 

 rays in all, protected by scales at the base ; caudal small, 

 forked, 4 lines long, occupying one ninth of the entire length, 

 rays 12^, the longest doubly bifiircated. 



Colour (in spirits) of a yellowish sandy hue along the back 

 and upper portion of sides, varied with minute black spots, 

 rather more than the lower half silvery, head of this colour ; 

 upper portion of pectorals and of both dorsals black, remain- 

 der hyaline ; caudal fin black ; ventrals and anal hyaline, ex- 

 cept a slight dusky tinge towards the extremity of the latter 

 fin. 



This genus is so anomalous as to render quite unnecessary 

 a comparison between it and any other of the Gadidce. 



Belfast, Feb, 1840. 



[In a note accompanying Mr. Thompson's communication on this highly 

 interesting genus, he observes,—" To render the coramunication'the more 



A- 



