SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. IQS 



Sub-class Teleostei. Cryptocanthoid^. 



lidse" and made the type of a new family the Cryptocanthoid^, 

 and sub-family Cryptocanthinse. 



Color. Body a dark reddish brown tinged with violet. Abdo- 

 men and throat a dirty greyish white. A row or two of moderate 

 sized dark brown blotches above the lateral line ; and another row 

 immediately beneath it extends throughout the greater length of it 

 to the tail. Top and sides of the head, snout and anterior portion 

 of the under side of lower jaw, marked with smaller spots of the 

 same color as those on the sides. Pupils black, irides golden. 



Description. Length of head about one sixth the entii-e length ; 

 greatest breadth about one half the length of the head. On each 

 side of top of head, two prominent long ridges run directly back 

 from posterior angle of eye to occiput. The posterior angles of 

 operculum and preoperculum ; the lower edge of preopercle ; the 

 scapular bones, — all seem like sharp points and edges concealed 

 by the skin. The operculum is large and triangular, covered by 

 the skin, as is also the preoperculum which present to the touch 

 two sensible carinas. 



Eyes circular, deeply sunk in the projecting orbits ; diameter of 

 orbits about equal to distance between the eyes. Nostrils tubular, 

 situated on the side of the prominent snout just at the edge of the 

 intermaxillary bones. 



Lips fleshy, lower jaw projecting above the upper, mouth slant- 

 ing obliquely downwards, numerous teeth in jaws and upon vomer 

 and palatine bones — those in the back part of the jaws recurved, 

 while those in front are smaller and nearly straight. Gape of 

 mouth moderate. Branchiostegal membrane extended along and 

 connected with the sides for a short distance. Lateral line straight 

 and interrupted. 



The dorsal fin arises above the posterior half of the pectorals, 

 and is united with the caudal ; all its rays are spinous and strong, 

 concealed by a stout and fleshy membrane ; the first few rays are 

 shortest. 



The pectorals arise beneath the membrane of the branchiae ; they 

 are fleshy, small and rounded. 



The anal arises upon the anterior half of the body ; it is similar 

 in its form and the character of its rays and their enveloping mem- 

 brane to the dorsal, and is also, like the fin connected with the 



caudal. 



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