26 BEKYCIDJE. 



broad behind, about half as broad as long ; the supplementary bone 

 elongate, sword-shaped, and covered with minute spines, like the 

 lower jaw. The eye is about one-thii-d of the length of head (oper- 

 cular spine iiicluded), and nearly cii-cular. There are the bony ridges 

 and grooves on the upi)er surface of the skull, covered with a thin 

 and half-transparent slun, as in the other species of Mip-ipristis : 

 an elongate groove extends from the occiput to the middle of the 

 space between the eyes ; on the hinder part it is half divided into 

 two by a narrow longitudinal ridge. In the middle of the forehead are 

 two ridges, cUvergent posteriorly and anteriorly, forming posteriorly 

 the cavity mentioned, and in front a space for the upper processes of 

 the intermaxillary; these ridges are in dii'ect contact Avith one another, 

 remaining separated in other species. Between each of these ridges 

 and the orbit is situated another elongate ca^dty, tapering at both 

 ends, and extending beyond the nostril. On the sides of the vertex 

 are two or three bony ridges with a rough siuface, but they are not 

 fan-like arranged, as in other species. The suljorbital arch is trans- 

 formed into one continuous cavity, the bony edges of which are con- 

 spicuous and finely sen'ated. All the opercular pieces are striated, 

 and each streul: term'mates in a small spine before r'eaching the pos- 

 terior eclcje of the bone, the bones thus receiving a rough, spinous 

 appearance. The opercle is narrow, with a transverse keel towards 

 the top, ending in a strong prominent spine, of about the size of the 

 first dorsal spine ; along its base is a series of ctenoid scales ; there 

 is a notch above the spine, but the lower edge is straight and spini- 

 ferous. The suboperclo is very naiTOw, with a sinus just before 

 the base of the pectoral fin, and a slight transverse ridge beneath, 

 terminating in a small point. The margin above the sinus is slightly 

 convex and spinifcroiis. In the interopercle may be distinguished a 

 straight posterior edge, a right angle, and a rather undulating lower 

 margin ; it is spiniferous in aU its. circumference. The preopercle 

 exhibits two concentric ridges, finely serrated, and with a channel- 

 like cavity between ; the cavity is again covered with a transparent 

 skin ; the angle is roimded ; the cheeks are covered with scales. 



There are six scales between the occiput and the first dorsal spine. 

 The spinous dorsal is 21 as long as the soft, but nearly equal in 

 height ; they are imited by a low membrane, reaching from the 

 eleventh to the twelfth spine. The thii-d, fourth and fifth spines 

 are longest, the fourth twice as long as the fii'st ; the eleventh is 

 only half the size of the fii'st. The twelfth spine, or the first of the 

 soft dorsal, is a little longer than the preceding, and placed on the 

 level of the seventeenth scale of the lateral line. Tlie fom-th and 

 fifth rays arc longest, their length bemg contained 2^ in the greatest 

 depth of body. 



The anal fin commences opposite the second dorsal with a minute 

 spine ; the second is considerably larger, the third longest and 

 strongest, not quite as long as the tliird dorsal one ; posteriorly it 

 is provided with a deep furrow, in wliich the fourth spine together 

 ■with the connecting membrane may be hidden. This fourth spine 

 has the strange appearance of being compf)Hed of two spines, one 

 shorter anterior and one longer posterior, both being seitarated by a 



