12. L-*;monema. 357 



of three or four teeth in the middle of its anterior margin. Barbel 

 very slender, half as long as the eye. Nostrils immediately in front 

 of the eye. The width of the bony interorbital space is two-thirds 

 of the vertical diameter of the eye. Operculum terminating in a 

 small, acute, pungent spine. The head is nearly entirely covered 

 with not very, small scales, only the lips and the foremost part of the 

 snout being naked. Fins naked, not enveloped in a loose membrane. 

 The first dorsal commences before the root of the pectoral and is very 

 narrow and high, the first ray being as long as the head. The second 

 dorsal commences behind the root of the pectoral, its rays slightly 

 increasing in length posteriorly. The vent is situated below the 

 vertical of the sixth ray of the second dorsal, and the anal commences 

 immediately behind it ; anal lower than dorsal. Caudal very narrow, 

 pointed, entirely free from dorsal and anal. Pectoral rather longer 

 than ventral, its length being equal to the distance of the anterior 

 margin of the orbit from the extremity of the operculum. 

 Body brown, immaculate ; fins black. 



2. Laemonema robustum. 

 D. 5 1 53. A. 47. L. lat. ca 130. 



Anterior rays of the fii-st dorsal prolonged ; ventral extending to 

 the eleventh anal ray. About thirteen series of scales between the 

 anterior dorsal and the lateral Une. 



Madeira. 



«. Fourteen inches long. Presented by J. Y. Johnson, Esq. 



Description. — Head rather depressed, but higher than broad ; nape 

 elevated ; body much compressed ; tail tapering into a narrow band. 

 The greatest depth of the body is below the origin of the second 

 dorsal, and is a littl« less than the length of the head, which is con- 

 tained thrice and three-fourths in the total (without caudal). Snout 

 depressed, obtuse, rounded, -ndth the upper jaw overlapping the lower, 

 longer than the orbit, the diameter of which is a little more than one- 

 fifth of the length of the head. Cleft of the mouth subhorizontal, 

 the maxillary extending to below the posterior margin of the orbit. 

 Teeth ^illifonn, forming bands ; the vomerine teeth form a small 

 roundish patch in the middle of the head of the vomer. Barbel very 

 slender, shorter than the eye. The %vidth of the interorbital space 

 equals the vertical diameter of the orbit. Operculum terminating 

 in an obtuse point covered with skin ; the head, with the exception 

 of the snout, is covered with sm;ill scales. The first dorsal commences 

 above the root of the pectond and is narrow and high, the first ray being 

 as long as the head without snout. The second dorsal commences 

 behind the pectoral, its rays slightly increasing in length posteriorly. 

 The vent is situated in the vertical from the fifth ray of the second 

 dorsal ; anal lower than dorsal, terminating at some distance before 

 the end of the dorsal. Caudal very narrow and rather elongate. 

 The length of the pectoral is foiu'-fifths of that of the head ; it docs 



