^50 TRICUIUUIDiE. 



moderate length. Each ventral spine is inserted in advance of the 

 pectoral ; it is tubercular, very long, its length being equal to the 

 height of the bodj\ The vent is situated far backwards, aiul its distance 

 froTv the head is more than the length of the latter. Scales apparently 

 none ; lateral line bent downwards anteriorly. Uniform silvery. 

 a. The specimen is only 21 inches long, and apparently young ; 



therefore several of the characters mentioned may be modified 



in a mature state. 



6. THYRSITES. 



Thyrsites, Cuv. ^ Val. viii. p. 19G. 



Body rather elongate ; cleft of the mouth wide. The first dorsal con- 

 tinuous, with the spines of moderate strength, and extending on to the 

 second. Two to six spurious fins behind the dorsal and anal. The 

 greater portion of the body naked. Several strong teeth in the jaws ; 

 teeth on thepalatine bones. No keel on the tail. Seven branchiostegals. 

 Air-bladder present. Pyloric appendages in moderate number. 



Seas between the tropics. Mediterranean. 



1. Thyrsites atun. 



Scomber atun, Euphrasen, Vctensk. Acad. Nya Handl. xii. Slockh. 1791, 



p. 315. 

 Acinacee batarde, Bory St. Vine. Voy. i. pi. 4. f. 2. 

 Thvrsites atun, Cuv. Sf Val. viii. p 190. pi. 219; Ciw. Rf'gne Ayiitn. 



ill. Poiss. pi. 49. f. 1. 



altivelis, Richards. Proc. Zool. Sac. 1839, p. 99. 



? Thyrsites chilensis, Cuv. ^ Val. viii. p. 204 ; Gay, Hist. Chil. Zool. 



ii. p. 22G. 



D. 20 I ^ I YI. A. ^ I VI. Vert. 37. 



Ventral with one spine and five rays. The height of the body is 

 contained eight times in the total length, the length of the head four 

 times and a half. The lateral line descends abruptly below the pos- 

 terior part of the spinous dorsal. Coloration uniform. 



Coasts of South Africa and Van Diemen's Land [and of Chile ?]. 



a. Thirty-five inches long : stuffed. Cape of Good Hope. 



b. Adult : has been in chloride of zinc. Van Diemen's Land. From 



the Haslar Collection. — Type of Thyrsites altlvelis, Kichards., 

 which is said (I. c.) to differ from Th. atun " radiis corpus alti- 

 tudine a^quantibus." I find the longest ray considerably lower 

 than the body. I cannot find also seven spu)ious fins, as stated 

 by Sir J. Richardson, but six only. 



2. Thyrsites lepidopoides. 

 Cuv. Sf Val viii. p. 205. y\. 220 ; Less. Voy. Coq. Zool. Poiss. p. 158. 

 pi. 15 ; Gay, Hist. Chit. Zool. ii. p. 228." 



D. nUlv A.fllV. 



I 14 I 15 I 



Ventral with oiu' spine and five rays. Th<> hoiglit of the body is 



