388 STERNOPTTCHID^. 



1. Coccia ovata. 



(u)nostomus ovatus, Cocco, Lett. s. Salmon, p. 9. tab. 1. fig. 3. 

 Ichth)'ococcus ovatus, Bomq). Faun. Ital. Peso. c. fig-. 

 Sfopelus ovatus, Cuv. &,■ Val. xxii. p. 453. 



D. 11. A. 12. P. 6. V. 6. Vert. 24/14. 



The height of the body is contained twice and three-fourths in the 

 total length (without caudal), the length of the head a little more 

 than thrice. There are twenty-five phosphorescent spots in one of 

 the series running from the chin to the base of the ventral ; they 

 appear as small pearl-coloured disks, each of which sits upon a black 

 globular body. 



Mediterranean. 

 a-d, e-h. From one to one Inch and a half long. Messina. 



The stomach consists of two elongate branches, one descending to 

 the posterior third of the abdominal cavity, and the other reascending 

 to the thoracic cavity. There is a very distinct contraction at the 

 curvature where the upper portion passes into the lower. Three 

 short pyloric appendages at the commencement of the intestinal tract, 

 which makes only a few short bends, and terminates immediately 

 before the origin of the anal fin. Testicles paired, extending nearly 

 the whole length of the abdominal cavit}\ 



The abdominal portion of the vertebral column is composed of 

 twenty-four vertebrae, the caudal of fourteen, the former being not 

 quite twice as long as the latter. 



4.MAUR0LICUS. 



Maurolicus et Gouostonms, sp., Cocco. 

 ]\Iaurolicus et Ichtliyococcus, sp., Bonap, 



Body oblong, compressed, covered with a silvery pigment, there 

 being no regular scales. Series of luminous (phosphorescent) spots 

 run along the lower side of the head, body, and tail. Head com- 

 2>ressed, with the bones thin, but ossified. Cleft of the mouth rather 

 wide, obliquely ascending, with the lower jaw slightly prominent ; 

 the maxillary is large, broad, and much produced backwards, receiv- 

 ing the slender intermaxillary in the upper concave part of its margin ; 

 both these bones have a sharp edge, which is beset with a single 

 series of minute teeth. Lower jaw with a few minute teeth. Teeth 

 on the palate invisible. Eye of moderate size. Pectoral and ven- 

 tral fins developed. Dorsal fin on the hinder half of the body, but 

 before the anal ; adipose fin rudimentary. Anal fin rather long, but 

 the rays of its posterior half are so minute, and hidden in the skin 

 and muscles, that it is extremely difficult to ascertain their true 

 number. Caudal forked. (4ill-opening very wide, the outer bran- 

 chial arch extencUng forward to behind the symphysis of the lower 

 jaw, and beset with very long gill-rakers. Branchiostegals eight or 

 nine. Pseudobranchia; well developed. Air-bladder none. 



Mediterranean ; North Atlantic. 



]^Iuller maintains that the structure of tlie jaws of this genus is 



