268 SCIiENIDJE. 



2. Larimus breviceps. 

 Cuv. Sf Vol. V. p. 146. pi. 111. 



D. 9-lOj^^. A.y. L. lat. 45. L. transv. 15. Caec. pylor. 11. 

 Vert. 10/15. 



The height of the body is contained 3|-3| in the total length, the 

 length of the head 4^ times. The snout is equal to the width of the 

 orbit ; the lower jaw projecting beyond the upper. All the teeth 

 villiform. The spinous dorsal is one-fourth higher than the soft ; 

 caudalis rhomboidal ; the second anal spine nearly as long as the 

 first ray. Back with narrow oblique streaks directed forwards, 

 lateral bands more horizontal. The first dorsal blackish, with a tri- 

 angular white spot before the base of each spine. 



Brazil ; S. Domingo. 



a. Half-grown. S. Domingo. Purchased of M. Parzudaki. 



b. Fine specimen. From Mr. Fraser's Collection. 



c. Adult male : skeleton. From Mr. Fraser's Collection. 



Skeleton. — The maxillary gradually widens from the base to its 

 extremity, which is rather broad and obliquely truncated. The in- 

 termaxillary tapers to a point, and is armed with a very narrow 

 band of minute teeth ; its posterior processes extend backwards to 

 the level of the anterior margin of the eye, being one-third of the 

 length of tile bone ; there is a flat, low prominence in the middle of 

 its posterior margin. The muciferous channel of the mandibula is 

 rather deep, not divided by bony cross-bars, traces of which are 

 scarcely visible. The anterior part of the vomer is excavated. 



The bony ridges and crests on the upper surface of the skull are 

 somewhat differently arranged from those of Larimus auritus. The 

 occipital crest is not very elevated above the sm-face of the skuU, and 

 its horizontal portion is lower than its vertical; anteriorly it di- 

 verges into two ridges, forming two sides of a central cavity, which 

 is elongate, quadrangular, with the anterior side half as long as 

 the posterior. The other ca\'ities are symmetrically arranged in 

 pairs : the first corresponds to the turbinal bones, the second to the 

 anterior portion of the frontal bones, and is situated between the 

 upper anterior margin of the orbit and the anterior side of the central 

 cavity ; the third is large, and situated between the upper posterior 

 margin of the orbit and the posterior side of the central cavity ; the 

 fourth is placed behind the orbit. There are several others which 

 are less chstinct, between the occipital crest and the scapula. The 

 prseorbital is rather narrow, not quite three times as long as broad, 

 and has two series of grooves ; the remainder of the infraorbital ring 

 and the praeoperculum are transformed into a half-channel, that of 

 the latter being divided into four cavities by narrow, feeble cross- 

 bars. The inferior praeopercular limb is distinctly serrated, the pos- 

 terior smooth. The other opercles are exceedingly thin and flexible ; 

 the operculum terminates posteriorly in two points, to each of 

 which corresponds a feeble ridge on the interior surface of the bone. 

 The scapula has the posterior margin fringed. Each pubic bone is 



