306 rRACRYPTKRlD-*;. 



The greatest height of the body is at its central part, where it is 

 contained five times and a half in its length, while the height at the 

 nuchal region is nearly one-seventh of the total, or equal to the length 

 of the head. Muzzle truncated, cleft of the mouth subvertioal ; the 

 upper jaw ver}' protractile. The maxillary teeth are thin, conical, 

 and pointed, nearly recumbent, Avith the apex turned towards the 

 pharynx : two on each side of the upper jaw, three or four on each 

 side of the lower ; one or two single pointed teeth on the vomer, none 

 on the palatine bones. The superior pharyngeal bones are studded with 

 pointed curved teeth. \The wferior pharjpu/eaJs are wanting alto- 

 gether.'] The eye is situated near the frontal profile, and its diameter 

 is two-sevenths of the length of the head. InteroperciTlum nearly 

 as large as the operculum. The short pectoral fin is situated nearer 

 to the ventral margin than to the lateral line. The anterior five dorsal 

 rays are somewhat detached from the others, and appear to be pro- 

 duced ; the rays are quite smooth, slender, flexible, without the 

 slightest trace of transverse joints; iLoy are dilated inferiorly into 

 a saddle-shaped shield, with a short curved point in the centre ; a 

 number of small sharp bodies appear along the root of the fin. The 

 vertically-raised caudal fin contains eight rays, the outer ones of 

 which are longer than the six middle ones ; the tw^o central rays 

 are studded wdth minute spines. There are several rudimentary 

 rays at the extremity of the tail. Firm papillary warts along the 

 abdominal margin. The lateral line is anned as in T. tcenia, and is 

 confluent with that of the other side beneath the end of the tail ; a 

 stronger spine indicates the point of junction. The vent is situated 

 somewhat behind the middle of the length. Silvery, with two blackish 

 spots ; fins reddish ; the anterior spot is situated at the commence- 

 ment of the second fourth part of the whole length of the fish, the 

 posterior being near the middle. 



The above characters have been taken from the excellent accounts 

 of Professors Reinhardt and Nilsson. The specimens show a length 

 of from two feet and a half to six. One stuffed specimen is in the 

 Collectk)n of the British Museum, but it is not in a good state of 

 preservation. 



rt. Five feet ten inches long, one foot high. Dorsal spines 162. 

 Purchased. 



2. STYLOPHORUS. 



Stylephorus, Shaw, Trans. Linn. Soc. i. p. 90. 

 Ventral fins none. I'ail terminating in an exceedingly long cord- 

 like appendage. 

 Gulf of Mexico. 



1. Stylephorus chordatus. 



Shaio in Tratis. Linn. Soc. i. p. 90. pi. 0, and Zool iv. p. 87, and Nat. 

 Misc. viii. pi. 274; Blainv. Journ. PJn/s. Ixxxvii. p. 00. pi. 1. fig. 1; 

 Cuv. Sf Val. x. p. 381. 



B. 4. D. 110. C. 6 P. 13. 



'I'he h(>ight of the body is one-fifteenth of the total length (with- 



