344 TRICHIURID^. 



widens into a flat lamella behind the ridge. The operculum is com- 

 paratively small, and tapers posterioriy to a very thin, fringed flap ; 

 the margin of the suboperculum is also fringed ; the interoporculum 

 oblong. 



The glossohyal and the other bones of the branchial apparatus 

 are very elongate, the branchiostegals feeble and very slender. 



The hiuneral arch is very simple, and the bones by which it is 

 formed are narrow and slender. The humeral is styliform, rib-like ; 

 the carpal bones are very small. 



There are forty-three abdominal and fifty-seven caudal vertehrm, 

 the length of the former portion of the vertebral column being to 

 that of the caudal as 1 : 1'06. The vertebrae are of moderate length ; 

 the fourteenth vertebra to the thirty-first have a small cui'ved pro- 

 cess at both extremities, in the median lino of the abdominal side. 

 The ribs are very feeble, without plcurapophyses. An interneural 

 and interhsemal spine correspond to each neural and haemal ; all are 

 slender and of moderate height. 



2. LEPIDOPUS. 



Lepidopiis, Goumi, Hist. Poiss. p. 185 ; Cim. 8^ Val. viii. p. 218. 



Body very elongate, band-like ; cleft of the mouth wide. One 

 single dorsal along the whole back ; caudal well developed. Ventrals 

 reduced to a pair of scales ; anal spines niunerous, but minute, or 

 hidden beneath the skin. Scales none. Several strong teeth in the 

 jaws; teeth on the palatine bones. No keel on the tail. Eight bran- 

 chiostegals. Air-bladder present. Pyloric appendages in increased 

 number. 



Mediterranean. Eastern parts of the Atlantic. 



1. Lepidopus caudatus. 



The Scabbard-fish. 



? Serpent maiiu, Lcguat, Voyage, ii. p. 40. 



Lepidopus, Gouan, I. c. pi. 1. f. 4 ; Boivdich, Exc. p. 10. f. 1. 



Trichiurus caudatus, Eiqihrasen, Stockh. K, Vet. Acad. Nya Handl. 



1788, ix. p. 52. tab. 9. f. 2. 

 Lepidopus gouani, Bl. Sclin. p. 239. tab. 53. f. 2 (very bad) ; Eisso, 



Ichth. Nice, p. 151, and Eur. Merid. iii. p. 290. 

 Trichiurus gladius, Holten, Kjobenh. Skrivt. Af. Nat. Selsk. v. p. 23. 



tab. 2. f. 1. 



ensiformis, Vandelli. 



Vandellius lusitauicus, Shaw, Zool. iv. p. 199. 

 Lepidopus lusitauicus, Leach, Zool. Misc. ii. p. 7. pi. 62. 

 Ziphotheca tetradens, Montagu, Wern. Mem. i. p. 82. tab. 2 & 3, ii. 



p. 432. 

 Lepidopus peronii, Risso, Ichth. Nice, p. 148. pi. 5. f. 18. 



argenteus, Nurdo, Giorn. di Fis. Pav. vii. p. 227. 



argyi-eus, Cuv. Regne Anim. ; Cue. ^- Val. viii. p. 223. pi. 223 ; 



Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, i. p. 198 ; Lotve, Trans. Zool. Sac. ii. p. 181 ; 



Guichen. E.rplor. Alger. Poiss. p. 59. 



