7. jmiiPRisTis. ]5) 



inches, lines. 



Length of the entopterygoid patch of teeth . . ( > U 



of the first dorsal i-ay 1 4 



of the last dorsal i'ay 4 



of a caudal lobe 2 



of the middle caudal ray (i 



of the first anal ray 1 1 



of pectoral fin 1 4 



of ventral fin 11 



Height of a scale 4 



Length of a scale 3 



7. MYRIPRISTIS*. 

 Mp'ipristis, Cuv. Regnc Anim. ; Cuv. Sf Val. iii. p. 160. 



Muzzle short, with oblique cleft of mouth f and prominent chin ; 

 eye generally large. Villiform teeth in both the jaws, on the vomer 

 and palatine bones. Eight (exceptionally seven) branchiostegals. 

 Opercular bones sermted ; operculum generally ydt\x a spine, prae- 

 operculum without spine. Scales large, ctenoid. Two dorsals, 

 scarcely united ; ventrals with seven rays. Caudal forked ; anal 

 with four spines. S-wam- bladder divided by a contraction ; the 

 anterior part extending to the otocrane. Pyloric appendages in 

 moderate number. 



Tropical seas of both hemispheres. 



1. Myripristis jacobus. 



Cuv. 8f Val. iii. p. 1G2. 

 D. 10 I yj^. A. i V. 1/7. L. lat. 36-38. L. transv. 3/6. 

 Caec. pylor. 9. Vert. 27. 



The height of the body is one-third of the total length, the length 

 of the head one-fourth ; the interspace betM'een the eyes is one- 

 fourth of the length of the head. The upper maxillary reaches a 

 little to behind the middle of the eye ; operculum striated, the stria3 

 terminating in fine points at the hinder edge of the operculum, 

 above a very feeble spine. Pectoral shorter than ventral ; the third 

 and fourth anal spines nearly equal in length, but the former broader. 

 Gill-opening and base of pectoral fin brownish black. 



Caribbean Sea ; coast of Brazil. 



a. Adult. Brazil. Presented by Lord Stuart. 



h-e. Adult : skins. Jamaica. From Dr. Parnell's Collection. 



/. Adult. Sine patria. From the Haslar Collection. 



g. Adult: stuffed. Sine patria. 



h. Young. Sine patria. From the Haslar Collection. 



* 1. Myripristis borbonicus, Cuv. ^ Val. vii. j). 489.— iSlo de France. 

 2. • axillaris, Cuv. ^ Val. vii. p. 491. — Isle de Fi-ancg 



3. botche, Bleck. Perc. p. 52. — Batavia. 



4. violaoeus, Bleek. Banda, i. p. 234. — .'Baiida. 



1' In Myripristis lima the cleft of mouth is horizontal. 



