1. Lopnxus. 181 



each side of the vomer ; humeral spine long, lanceolate, simple ; tlio 

 mouth behind the hyoid bone colourless. 



Mediterranean. 

 a. Half-grown. Mediterranean. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



Spinola, llisso, Cuvier, and Bonaparte have endeavoured to distin- 

 guish a second Mediterranean species of iop/tiw5, which they have cha- 

 racterized either by its colour, or the number of its dorsal rays, or the 

 different length or shape of the first dorsal spine, — characters which 

 have been considered by Valenciennes as so variable, that he did not 

 adopt the species founded on them. The most important of these 

 characters is that used by Cuvier, namely the number of the dorsal 

 rays. In aU the immature specimens of L. piscatorius and of L. hu- 

 degassa which I have examined, the number of the dorsal rays of 

 the former was not less than eleven, and of the latter not more than 

 nine ; but this character becomes uncertain in large individuals, in 

 which one or two of the first rays appear to be lost with age. A 

 better character for the distinction of the two Mediterranean species, 

 and one which can be depended upon, is the form of the humeral 

 spine : the teeth with which it is provided, in L. inscatorius, never 

 being effaced, altkough they are more obtuse in old specimens than 

 in young ones. 



The three preceding species can be characterized sufficiently to 

 admit them into the system. The following were established for 

 single individuals, which, coming from distant localities, showed 

 some slight differences from the European species : — 



1. Lopliius americanus, Cuv & Val. xii. p. 380 ; Dekay, Xcw York 

 Fauna, Fishes, p. 162. pi. 28. fig. 87 (bad). 



Lophhis piscatorius, Mitch. Lit. & Phil. Trans. New York, i. 



p. 465 ; Richards. Faun. Bor. Amer. Fishes, p. 103 ; Storer, 



Mass. Report, pp. 71, 404. 

 No differences of any importance have been pointed out, and this 

 species is probably identical with L. piscatorius. Valenciennes states 

 eight or nine as the number of the dorsal rays ; but the specimen 

 examined is stuffed, and in bad condition. Dekay, who professes to 

 have seen scivcral specimens, is unable to point out the specific cha- 

 racters ; the mmibers given by him (D. 3 | 3 | 12. A. 10) would 

 lead to the opinion that it is most nearly allied to L. piscatoritis. 



2. Lophius vomerinus, Cuv. & Val. xii. p. 381, from the Cape, is 

 established upon a single specimen which had no teeth on the corners 

 of the vomer ; these may have been lost, the specimen being more 

 than two feet long. D. 3 | 3 | 10. A. 9. In other respects the 

 description agrees very well with the Cape specimen in the British 

 Museum. 



3. Lophius upsicephalus, Smith, 111. Zool. South Africa, Pisces, 

 pi. 9. The figure is wretched, and taken from a specimen deformed 

 by stuffing. It has vomerine teeth, and we therefore refer to this 

 species a stuffed specimen from the Cape, forty-one inches long. I am 

 unable to ascertain Iht number of the dttfsal rays and the form of 



