NO. 1366. 



OSTEOLOGY OF BERYCOID FISHES— STARKS. 



607 



lenuthened, and are scarcely differentiated from the haemal spines. 

 Th(M-e are two auxiliary interiieurals. The interneiirals nearly a<^ree 

 in number with the neural spines. The first interhaemal is not 

 enlaro-ed or otherwise differentiated. Spines from the last two 

 vertebra? assist the hypural in supporting the caudal tin. 



BERYX SPLENDENS Lowe. 



CKAXIUM. 



The cranium as viewed from above is widest at the pterotics; it 

 thence narrows forward in long, regular curves to the nasals. It is 

 nmch depressed in the parietal region. A long ridge runs from the 

 anterior end of the frontal, meeting its fellow of the opposite side 

 above the ethmoid; thence runs back across the frontals, sphenotic. and 

 pterotic, at the posterior end of which it ends. 



Fig. 7.— Beryx splexdexs. 

 For k'ttcring see fig. 6. 



As the cranli m is viewed directly from the side the supraoccipital 

 crest is seen to be high and triangular, rising far above the rest of the 

 cranium, its apex is directly above the epiotic. It appears to end 

 anterioT.y above the alisphenoids, as shown in the drawing. It, how- 

 ever, IS continued anteriorly by the frontals to above the anterior 

 fourth of the orbital cavity, being hidden in this view by the high 

 frontal ridges. The occipital condyle projects far posterior to the 

 pterotic region. The posterior ventral outline of the cranium is 

 rounded steeply downward and forward to below the beginning of the 

 orbital cavity, and continues in a more gentle curve over the para- 

 sphenoid. The auditory bulla is large and projecting. Its investing 

 bones are thin and polished. At the junction between the pterotic, 

 epiotic, exoccipital, and sphenotic there is an area of cartilage. On 

 the auditory ))ulla there is a similar area between the prootic, basi- 

 Proc. N. :M. vol. xxvii— 03^ ^3 



