248 THACHINII)^. 



11. EPICOPUS*. 



Merlus, Guichtn. in Gay's Hist. Chil. Zool. ii. p. 328. 



Body elongate, compressed posteriorly ; snout long, depressed, with 

 the cleft of the mouth wide, and with the lower jaw rather longer. 

 Eye lateral. Scales small. Two dorsals, the first with nine or 

 eleven feeble spines ; ventrals jugular, with one spine and six soft 

 rays ; the lower pectoral rays branched. Jaws, vomer, and palatine 

 bones with strong, cardiform teeth. Opercles not armed. Branchio- 

 stegals six ; gill-membrane not joined to the isthmus underneath. 



Coast of Chile. 



1. Epicopus gayi. 



Merlus gayi, Guichen. I. c. p. 328, Icfiol. lam. 8. fig. 2. 

 D. 10 I 36. A. 37. V. 1/6. 

 The length of the intermaxillary is nearly one-half of that of the 

 head. Ventrals longer than pectorals. Coloration uniform. 

 Coast of Chile. 



a. Bad state. Old Collection. 



Guichenot refers this fish to the Gadidce, and to the genus Mer- 

 luccius, for which name he substitutes the French form of Merlus. 

 I have, however, convinced myself that the first dorsal is composed 

 of rays which are neither articulated nor branched ; therefore the 

 fish probably belongs to the Acanthoptcrygians. The specimen is too 

 badly preserved to admit of an examination of the internal parts. 



12. PERCOPHIS. 



Percopliis, Cuv. ^ Veil, iii. p. 281. 



Cylindrical, very elongate ; cleft of the mouth nearly horizontal, 

 with the lower jaw very prominent ; eye lateral. Scales small, 

 ctenoid. Tavo separate dorsals, the fii'st with about ten spines ; ven- 

 trals jugular ; the lower pectoral rays branched. Teeth in the jaws, 

 on the vomer and on the palatines, vrith veiy strong canines. Oper- 

 culum with small spines, prffiopereulum entire. Seven branchio- 

 stegals ; pseudobranchise. Air-bladder none ; pyloric appendages. 



Coast of Brazil. 



1. Percophis brasilianus. 



Quoi/ dj- Gaini. Voy. Freyc. Zool. p. 351. pi. 53. f. 1 ; Cuv. Sf Val. iii. 

 p. 281. pi. 64, ix. p. 460 ; Jenyns, Zool. Beagle, Fishes, p. 23 ; Cuv. 

 Reyne Anim. III. Poi-ss. pi. 16. f. 2. 



D. lot I 32. A. 42. 



The distance between the two dorsal fins equals the length of the 

 base of the first. 

 Coast of Brazil. 



«. Fine specimen. Bio Janeiro. Presented by A. Fry, Esq. 



* eTTi'/cwTrns, provided with oars. 



t Cuvier states seven dorsal spines in the text, but the figure shows nine. 



