482 SPAKID^. 



leton of this fish does not offer any remarkable peculiarity. The 

 maxillary bone is crescent-shaped, -with, the anterior side emarginate 

 and both extremities narrowest. The intennaxillary is broad, shorter 

 than the maxillary, and its extremity forms an articulation with the 

 anterior side of the latter ; the posterior processes are broad, very 

 elongated, much longer than the descending branch of the bone ; 

 they do not reach to the vertical from the orbit. The mandibula 

 is very stout, and there is no free space between the dentary and 

 articidar bones. The anterior portion of the vomer forms a very 

 broad and concave plate. The palatine bones are crescent-shaped, 

 and situated in a nearly vertical dii'ection ; their upper portion is 

 much developed, bent forwards, reaching as far as the turbinal bone, 

 and joined to the maxillaiy. The nasal (ethmoid) is veiy elongate, 

 with two longitudinal impres.sions, in which are received the processes 

 of the intermaxillary bones. The turbinal hones are exceedingly long 

 and tnliform. The prasorbital is much longer than high, whilst the 

 remainder of the infraorbital ring is very naiTow : from the inside of 

 the prfieorbital aiises a broad plate, supported by a strong process, 

 ivhich is attached to the entopterygoid . The frontal bones slightly 

 diverge anteriorly to receive the extremity of the nasal ; their upper 

 surface is roughened by pores and grooves. The occipital crest, vrith 

 two others on each side, is moderately elevated. The brain-capsule 

 is slightly compressed ; the basisphenoid has a large opening before 

 the occipital joint, and its anterior portion is compressed into a ridge. 

 The prajoperculum has an obtuse and strong ridge, "with the muci- 

 ferous channel very radimentary ; the hoiizontal limb is much shorter 

 than the vertical ; the angle is rounded and striated, the striae not 

 terminating in jDoints. The operculum is twice as high as wide, 

 quadrangidar, with the upper side oblique ; its inner surface is fur- 

 nished with an oblique bony ridge terminating in an obtuse point. 

 The suboperculum is nearly vertically situated, the interopercidum 

 obliquely. The glossohyal is styliform, the lu'ohyal triangular, with 

 the posterior side notched. The lower pharyngeal bones are very 

 elongate, with both the extremities pointed. The pubic bones are 

 of moderate length ; each is formed by three lamcllas, the interior of 

 which is broadest. 



There are ten abdominal and fourteen caudal vertebrcp, the length 

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

 latter as 1 : 1-33. The first interhsemal is of moderate strength and 

 length. Some of the ribs have long epipleiu'al spines. 



The teeth of the anterior portion of the iipper jaw form a \'illiform 

 band, with an outer series of rather stronger ones. The two outer 

 bands of the molars contain sraaU teeth, which are somewhat 

 irregularly arranged. The molars of the third series, nine in num- 

 ber, gradually become larger posteriorly ; tlie fourth series extends 

 to one-half only of the length of the third, and has small molars ; 

 there are, finally, granular teeth, forming two oblique and short series. 

 The anterior teeth of the lower jaw are eqiial, short, and cardiform ; 

 there are two series of molars in the posterior portion of the jaw, 

 those of the inner one being large and broad : this series is anteriorly 



