13 279 



Inside the posterior upper angle of the clavicle is the postclavicle (pel). In the 

 scapular arch the scapular foramen is large; the coracoid (co), as shortly mentioned 

 above, is broadly united to the clavicle, leaving only the small opening described; 

 the lower edge, which is ventrally joined to its fellow from the opposite side, is 

 thickened on the outer side and posteriorly produced into a flat bundle of osseous 

 filaments, used for muscular attachments. 



Of the four well developed pterygials (ba), the upper and smaller one is car- 

 ried by the scapular. 



The pectoral fin rays (15—16) are unbranched, but jointed except the up- 

 permost (3 — 4). 



The pelvic bones are not in contact; each is a triangular flat piece, with 

 feebly pronounced muscular crest along its middle. The outer of the 6 ventral 

 rays is unbranched, but jointed, the others branched and jointed. The position of 

 the ventrals is about on the level with the 20th abdominal vertebra '. 



Visceral anatomy. 



There are four complete gills and a large pseudobranch; a slit between 

 the 4th gill-arch and the lower pharyngeal. The alimentary canal is without 

 mesentery, short, and quite straight; the anal opening is situated immediately be- 

 hind the ventral fins, just behind the end of the ventral rays when these are 

 lying against the body. The oesophagus passes without boundary into the stomach; 

 the latter is spindle-shaped, narrowing behind into a pyloric part, sharply marked 

 off from the intestine. The oesophagus and stomach together are about of the same 

 length as the rest of the alimentary canal. The small intestine sends out from its 

 anterior end two well developed appendices pyloricæ, one on each side, the left 

 being somewhat longer than the right; the intestine is wider anteriorly and tapers 

 behind, where it is sharply bounded by a constriction from the short, wide rectum. 

 In the stomach of one specimen from the West Indies (a medium-sized female) I 

 found a wholly undigested herring 53 mm long and the vertebræ of another, other- 

 wise completely macerated and digested small fish; in another (large, dried) specimen 

 from the West Indies I also found the vertebræ of a small fish. 



The liver encloses ventrally the oesophagus and part of the stomach, without 

 reaching the pyloric part; to the right side it reaches higher up on the sides of 

 the stomach than to the left; it is not properly lobed, but about in the middle of 

 the right margin there is a deep incision leading to the gall-bladder; from 

 the latter the long bile-duct passes backwards, lying close to the portal vein, 

 and enters the front end of the small intestine between the two appendices py- 

 loricæ. 



The right cardinal vein is strongly developed, passing along the right kid- 

 ney and leaving the latter at its anterior end to unite with the ductus Cuvieri, 

 the left cardinal vein is small and its anterior part completely hidden in the left 

 kidney. 



