414 SCOJffBKIDJE. 



1. Ausonia cuvieri. 



Ausonia cuvieri, Hisso, I. c. p. 342. fig. 28 ; Lowe, Proc. Zool. Soc. 



1843, p. 84. 

 Luvarus imperialis, (Hqfinesqiie) Cuv. ^ Val. ix. p. 412. 

 Proctostej^ua pvoctostegus, Nardu, Prodromus Observ. et Disq., Adriat. 



Ichth. in tyiar. Phys. Chem, et Hist. Nat. Ticini, 1827, vol. i. 



pp. 18 & 42. 

 prototypus, Nardo, Mem. " De Prociostego/^ Pcdavii, 1827 (with 



a good figure). 



D. 1 I 13. A. 1 I 14. V. 1 or 1/4, 

 The height of the body is contained three times and a half in the 

 total length. 



Mediterranean ; Sea of Madeira. 



This species is extremely scarce, and very little known. There are, 

 moreover, several important discrepancies between the descriptions, 

 and it is not yet evident whether they have originated in imperfect 

 means of observation, or whether they depend on different states of 

 age, or whether we have hitherto confounded different species. I 

 think it my duty, therefore, to give in fuU the account, for which 1 

 am indebted to the Kev. R. T. Lowe, and which he had taken fi-om 

 a fresh and perfect individual ; this specimen, deposited in the former 

 Museum of the Zoological Society, appears to have been lost. 



" The whole body is smooth and naked, with the exception of irre- 

 gular patches here and there (most plentifully on the head and back) 

 of a skinny, crape-Hke coat or covering of minute, rough, branny 

 scales, like a crust of half-congealed snow, and easily rubbing off. 

 This has once evidently covered the whole fish, the nakedness being 

 the result of either natural wear or injury. The mouth is singularly 

 SDfiall, and as it were subtubiilar, yet quite short, and not protractile. 

 Maxillarj^ very broad and short. Teeth in a single row in both jaws, 

 pectinate, and excessively fine and minute, but pcrfectJn distinct. 

 Palatines with a rough, narrow band ; tongue smooth ; oesophagus 

 verrucose, and furnished besides with largo soft papilkic. 



" Close before the dorsal fin is a rather short spine seated in a groove, 

 in which, when reclined, it lies quite concealed ; it is webbed behind 

 in its axil, but perfectly free from the dorsal fin ; the first two rays 

 are decidedly spinous, the next five or six somewhat homy and sub- 

 pungent, and the rest feebly branched, much as in Lampris 



The ventral fins are reduced to two short, bony, triangular-prismatic 

 spines (one inch long), placed close to each other on the ventral 

 keel, under the fore-axil of the pectoral fins, at the fore-edge of the 

 vent, which, when rechned, they cover and conceal, closing over it 

 like a pair of folding-doors. I could not discover the least trace or 

 rudiment of other rays. 



"The colour is a uniform iridescent pale steel or lead, reflecting rosy, 

 lilac or purple tints towards the back ; silvery towards tlie belly and 

 about the head. The dorsal and anal fins have the membrane black 

 and the rays vermilion ; pectoral and caudal fins wliolly bright ver- 

 milion ; ventrals flesh-coloured, the spine in front of the dorsal and 

 anal fins whitish. The patches of the crust of the body are of a pale 



