3. HEMiEnAMPnrs. 271 



of the length of the postorbital part of the head. Interorhital space 

 quite tlat. The root of the ventral tin is a little nearer to the caudal 

 than to the axil of the pectoral. Dorsal and anal fins %vith thin scales 

 anteriorly ; the former much longer than, and commencing before, the 

 latter. Caudal hn deeplj- forked, the central raj's being shorter than 

 the eye. Sides with a broad silvery band. 

 Van Diemen's Land. 



a. Twelve inches long. Long Island. Presented by J. B. Jukes, Esq. 



26. Hemirhamphus commersonii. 



Valent. fig. .318 ; Rmard, ii. tab. 5. fig. 2. 

 Acus, sp., WiUufjlibij, Hist. rise. tab. P. 8. f. 3. 

 Far, ForsJx. Descr. Anim. p. 67. 

 Esox espadon, var., Lacep. v. pi. 7. f. 3. 

 Hemirliainplius commersonii, Cm. Hefftie Anim. ; Ctiv. 8f Val. xix. 



p. 28 ; Bleek. Vcrh. But. Genootsch. xxiv. Snoek. p. 17. 

 far, Riijip. N. IV. Fische, p. 74. 



D. 13-14. A. (11) 12. L. lat. 54. Vert. 38/16. 



The length of the entire head is contained twice and two-thirds 

 in the total (without caudal), the length of the lower jaw (beyond the 

 extremity of the iTpjier jaw) four times and one-third. The trian- 

 gular part of the upper jaw, formed by the intermaxillaries, is much 

 broader than long. The diameter of the eye is less than the width of 

 the interorhital space, and two-thirds of the length of the postorbital 

 part of the head. The root of the ventral fin is equally distant from 

 the base of the caudal and the extremity of the pectoral. Dorsal and 

 anal fins scaly anteriorly ; the former much longer than the latter. 

 Caudal fin deeply forked, the central rays being equal in length to 

 the diameter of the eye. Back dark greenish, sides with a sUvery 

 band and four rounded blackish blotches. 



Eed Sea ; Indian Ocean. 



rt, 6. Fine specimens. Port Natal. 



c. Adult. Mozambique. Presented by Prof. Peters. 



d. Adult : skin. Zanzibar. Presented by Col. Playfair. 



e. Half-grown. Ambopia. Burchased of Mr. Frank. 

 /. Adult. From the Collection of the Zoological Society. 

 g. Adult. Old Collection. 



h. Adult : skeleton. Port Natal. 



27. Hemirhamphus fasciatus. 

 Bleeker, Xat. Tt/dschr. Ned. Lid. 1853, v. p. 89. 



D. 13. A. 12. P. 10. L. lat. ca. 50. 

 The length of the head is contained thrice, that of the snout four 

 times and three-fourths in the total (with the caudal) ; upper jaw 

 very short, miich broader than long ; the diameter of the eye is more 

 than the width of the interorhital space, and two-thirds of the length 

 of the postorbital part of the head. Vertex flat. The dorsal fin com- 

 mences before the anal, its posterior rays not shorter than the anterior ; 



