204 



Mr. G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S., who has kindly examined this 

 specimen along with most of the otiiers here described, con- 

 siders it a sort of connecting link between the group to which 

 Trachichthys belongs and Alyripristis. 



Tracliichthodes spinosiis, n.sp. 



(Plate XIII., fig. I.) 



Rr. 8. D. VI 15. A. IV 15. V. I 7. 



Height of body a little more than half its length (excluding 

 caudal). Head contained i.^ in height. Eye large, its 

 diameter less than length of snout, and contained 2^ times in 

 length of head. Mouth large, the maxillary extending to 

 slightly beyond the vertical from the centre of the eye. A 

 supplemental striated plate on maxillary. Premaxillary with 

 band of villiform teeth interrupted at symphysis by notch. A 

 small triangular patch of teeth on vomer and a long narrow 

 ridge of teeth along palatine. The mandibular is covered 

 inferiorly with numerous spines. Spines also occur on the 

 inferior exposed surface of the branchiostegals. There are 

 spines on the operculum, not well marked on its posterior 

 vertical margin, but one or two well marked spines occur at 

 its lower angle. The preoperculum is well developed with a 

 double margin with well developed spines at the angle of each. 

 The suboperculum has an inferior edge of closely set spines 

 similar to those on inferior aspect of branchiostegals. There 

 is a small patch of scales at angle of anterior margin of 

 preoperculum, no other scales occurring on the head region. 

 Nostrils are wide, in front of and close to orbit. The anterior 

 margin of the nasals is armed with small stout sjiines. Scales 

 strongly ctenoid and striated. About 20 parallel longitudinal 

 rows between 1st dorsal and inferior median line They are 

 not enlarged at base of dorsal or anal nor along lateral line. 

 Those at the immediate base of the dorsal are very small, 

 about ^ the size of the normal scale, and those at the base of 

 the anal, while not enlarged, are somewhat more elongated in 

 outline, with a more unequal free border. The base of the 

 caudal is covered with small scales, which extend backwards 

 over about ^ of the length of the rays. The lateral line cannot 

 be traced distinctly, though each scale in this region has a 

 very large muciferous canal. Total length, including caudal, 

 80 mm. 



Locdlily : The single specimen fi-om which this description 

 is taken was procured by dredge, Cape Morgan (on East 

 Coast) bearing N.W. ^ W., distant 6}, miles; depth, 45 fathoms. 



