20. CALLIONYMUS. 143 



each imrictal ha^'ing a slight porous protuberance on the centre ; the 

 frontal bones form a very narrow bridge between the orbits, and 

 converge anteriorly to receive the processes of the intermaxillary, 

 A short and flat process on the occiput indicates the occipital crest! 

 The fii'st vertebra is joined to the occiput by three concave grooves, 

 which are situated on the same level, whilst the lateral ones stand 

 above the central groove in the other Gobioid fishes. 



The suprascapula is narrow, styliform, and dii-ected outwards, 

 having quite a horizontal situation. In consequence of the depressed 

 and broad form of the trunk, the humerus is low, strongly bent in- 

 wards to meet its fellow, its lower homontal portion being much 

 longer than the vertical. There are two processes arising from its 

 vertical portion ; they are horizontally dii-ected backwards : the upper 

 sei-ves for the attachment of the ulna, whilst the lower is shorter, 

 terminating in a free point, covering and supporting the pectoral 

 muscles. The radius k fixed to the humerus, inside of the latter pro- 

 cess. The longitudinal axes of the pubic bones are directed outwards 

 from within, and not from before towards behind, as in other fishes ; 

 the axes of both are in nearly the same transverse hue : three pro- 

 cesses arise from the base of each of the bones, two of which are 

 flat and fixed to the humerus, whilst the third is tubiform and meets 

 its fellow of the other side. 



There are eight abdominal and thirteen caudal vertebrse ; they 

 become gi-aduaUy flatter and longer posteriorly, and the last is as 

 long as the first two together. The length of the abdominal portion 

 of the vertebral column is to that of the caudal as 1 : 2-5. The 

 neural spines of the first three vertebrae are extremely short, whilst 

 the fii-st interneural, which is situated above the second and third 

 vei-tebrai, is broad and lamelliform. The fourth and fifth vertebrte have 

 broad triangular neurals ; the lateral parts of the neural of the sixth 

 are verj^ large and divergent, hke those of the hajmal of the eighth. 

 The neurals of the caudal vertebras are depressed and very short, 

 with the lateral portions divergent. The intemeurals of the soft 

 dorsal fin are neariy entirely reduced to a small horizontal bone, 

 which IS joined to the preceding and following ; a very feeble process 

 descends from each horizontal portion towards the neurals; the 

 haemal and interhsemal spines are similar to the neurals and inter- 

 neiirals. The last vertebra is as long as the preceding one, its pos- 

 terior portion being produced into a flat lamella, to which the 

 caudal rays are joined. Ribs feeble, without epipleurals. 



lines. 



Length of the abdominal portion 20 



of the caudal portion 45 



of the first vertebra 2^ 



of the second vertebra 2 



of the fourth vertebra 2^ 



■ of the eighth vertebra 3 



of the thirteenth vertebra 31 



of the twenty-first vertebra 4^ 



