78 CATALOGUE OF FISH. 



mesial line of the centrum. This spine or crest is highest at the third 

 or fourth vertebra, and diminishes gradually to the twelfth. Poste- 

 rior to that, the under angles of the parapophjsis gradually approach 

 each other beneath, forming a deep haemal canal, and at the ter- 

 mination of the abdominal cavity a central under-process is formed, 

 as it were, by the union of the under angles of the parapophyses, 

 ■while the upper angles retain their horizontal direction, and gra- 

 dually diminish in size as they approach the end of the tail. A 

 long series of ribs, reaching from the cranium nearly to the tip of 

 the tail, is attached to the centra of the vertebrae above the para- 

 pophysis, through the medium of membrane ; and from the begin- 

 ning of the anal to the end of the tail, a similar series is attached 

 to the centra between the lateral and inferior parts of the parapo- 

 physes. These ribs are stoutest about the middle of the tail, and 

 have each a forked end next the centrum, the short limb of the 

 fork forming a knob or head. The iuterneural processes corre- 

 spond in number with the dorsal rays, and the rays of both fins, 

 though fissile at their tips, are not jointed. 



Stomach a long, wide, caecal tube (measuring in the specimen 

 here described 5 6 inches from the gullet to the point of the sac), 

 plaited longitudinally within, in about ten fine folds. Pyloric ori- 

 fice lateral, near the oesophagus, opening directly into a much more 

 slender intestine, which lies parallel to the stomach. The intestine 

 is reticulated interiorly, the wrinkles becoming gradually more 

 delicate, and disappearing in the lower part of the canal. At the 

 junction of the small intestine with the wider rectum its inner coat 

 projects so as to form a circular valve, but the gut was not in a con- 

 dition to enable me to ascertain whether a complete spiral valve 

 existed or not. Air-bladder of a long-oval form, an inch in length. 



Rays: Br. 10; D. 345; A. 236=591 (Australian spec). 



Length, 17'5 inches. To anus, 8 inches. To gill-opening, 2*45 

 inches. 



Obs. — McClelland characterises his Thawdontis reticulata (which 

 we have supposed may prove to be identical with the Oymnothorax 

 favagineus of Bloch) as follows : " Teeth sharp and hooked, con- 

 sisting of a single row on the edges of both jaws, and a double row 

 on the centre of the back part of the palate, with three movable 

 fangs near the apex of the upper jaw. Crown of the head high 

 and rounded, every part of the body marked with black, pentangular 

 spots, separated by narrow white lines." (Calcutta Journ. of Nat. 

 Hist. July, 1844.) (Richardson.) 



Cape Upstart, and Sumatra (British Museum). Western Australia 

 [Surgeon Bynoe, R.N.). Sandwich Islands (Eydoux and Souleyet). 

 Madeira [Dr. Smith). 



144. Thyrsoidea tenebrosa. 



Murtena tenebrosa. Banks and Soland. MSS. in Br. Miis.; Rich., 

 Ereh. & Ten: 84. 



