SKELETON OF LUVARUS IMPERIALIS, RAPINESQUE — "WAITE. 295 



Another vertebra intervenes between this and the hypural, making 

 twenty-three in all. The caudal fin is short, but produced above 

 and below into a powerful organ. 



The first dorsal spine is situated above the neural of the tenth 

 vertebra, and is preceded by a groove which recalls the condition 

 described by Lowe.* The following spines, twelve in number, are 

 weaker. The anal possesses fourteen spines, but owing to imper- 

 fections, as before remarked, their relationship to the interhsemals 

 is not clear ; there are generally two of the latter to each hsemal. 



The skull has a peculiar aspect, produced largely by the low 

 position of the orbit, it being much beneath the axis of the body; 

 the small anterior mouth, the raised parietal crest, and the large 

 opercular apparatus, are also noticeable features. The occipital 

 is largely encroached upon by the first interneural and neural 

 spines, the lower ends of which are apparently formed by union 

 with an occipital crest. The parietals overlie the frontals and are 

 deflected behind to join the upper limb of the post-temporal. The 

 frontal is not so extensive as usual, and a large foramen occurs 

 between it and the ethmoid. The interparietal crest arises partly 

 from this bone. The connection of the pterotic with the post- 

 temporal is not preserved in our specimen. Suborbital bones 

 are not present, and are possibly not developed. The eye is 

 strengthened by an osseous ring. 



In the suspensorium, the hyomandibular is joined by suture 

 with the metapterygoid the latter separated from the quadrate 

 by the symplectic. The articular and dentary are both short. 

 The dental margins of the premaxillary, vomer, palatine, and 

 dentary are roughened, but teeth are not present. 



The post-temporal is widely forked, and has a bony attachment 

 to the skull. The suture between the clavicle and supraclavicle 

 is very long. The post-clavicle is attached by ligament below to 

 the hypocoracoid. The hypercoracoid has an oval foramen through 

 its centre. Actinosts graduated, five in number, the uppermost 

 anchylosed to the base of the first two pectoral rays. 



The representative of the pelvic girdle is a weak bone, whose 

 connection with the clavicle is destroyed. Anterior to the verticle 

 of the base of the pectoral it expands laterally, leaving a foramen 

 for the vent. It is continued as a narrow vertical plate to join 

 the base of the first interlisemal spine. Anterior to the vent is 

 the unpaired ventral fin, represented only by the spine, which is a 

 lanceolate plate, articulated at its base, and forming an operculum 

 for the vent. 



The bones, on the accompanying plate of the skull, are numbered 

 according to the list published by Starks,* " Synonomy of the Fish 

 Skeleton." This excellent compilation supplies a distinct want, 



3 Lowe (aiinther)— Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., ii., 1860, p. 414. 

 ♦ Starks— Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., iii., 1901, pp. 507 - 539. 



