b. POLYMIXIA. XI 



1 . Poljrmixia nobilis. 



Polpnixia nobilis, Lowe, I. c. tab. 4. 

 Nemobrama webbii, Val. I. c. p. 41. pi. 8. 



D.3l^- ^-T^- V. 1/6 or 7. L.lat. 48-54. Vert. 29. 



Above imiform greenish ; dorsal and anal black anteriorly. 

 Sea of Madeira, and St. Helena. 



a. Adult. Madeira. Presented by the Rev. R. T. Lowe. 



h. Adult : stuffed. St. Helena. Presented by General Hardwicke. 



c. Adult : stuffed. Old Collection. 



One of the specimens exhibits seven rays in the ventral fins, as 

 stated by Valenciennes. There are even eight in the flgui'e given 

 by him. 



2. Polymixia lowei. (Plate VII. fig. A.) 



D. 3^„. A. i V. 1/7. L.lat. 50. 



Above unifonn greenish ; sides golden shining (in spirits). 



Caribbean Sea. 

 a. Adult. Cuba. From the Collection of the Zoological Society. 



Description of the specimen.- — This species very much resembles 

 in general appearance the only one hitherto known, but differs in 

 having at least six dorsal rays less. The height of the body is nearly 

 equal to the length of the head, and 3^ in the total. The greatest 

 depth of the body is below the origin of the dorsal fin ; in front of 

 this point the upper profile is slightly convex, but rapicUy descends 

 from the eye to the snout ; the profile behind that point gradually 

 descends to the caudal fin. The lower profile is nearly straight 

 between the snout and the anal fin. 



The head has an obtuse and short snout, with the upper jaw 

 overlapping the lower; the interspace between the eyes is one- 

 fourth of the length of the head, and is covered with scales to near 

 the anterior margin of the eyes. The cleft of mouth is wide, the 

 upper maxillaiy reaching to behind the eye ; it tenninates posteriorly 

 in a broad plate with a convex posterior edge and a concave superior 

 and inferior one. The lower jaw has a shght prominence in front, 

 much smaller than in Mijripristis, &c. The eye is placed liigh up the 

 sides, but does not interfere with the upper profile of head ; its 

 diameter is rather more than one-third of the length of head ; the 

 space below it is less than its diameter. The suborbital arch is 

 broader as far as the maxillary reaches, and transformed into a 

 half-channel, covered with a transparent skin. This part of the 

 suborbital arch, the maxillary, and the dentary, are sealeless ; aU 

 the remainder of the sides of the head is covered with scales of 

 moderate size. 



The opereles have no spines at all ; the operculum and suboperculum 

 are so uniformly covered with scales, that the border between them 

 can be seen only after the scales are removed. The fomier is 

 twice as high as wide, and the lower margin is straight, obliquely 



