broad behind, about half as broad as long ; the supplementary bone 

 elongate, sword-shaped, and covered with minute spines, like the 

 lower jaw. The ej/e is al)out one-third of the length of head (o])er- 

 cidar spine included), and nearly circular. There are the bony ridges 

 ;nid grooves on the up})er surface of the skull, covered with a thin 

 and half-transparent sldn, as in the other species of Mijripristis : 

 an elongate groove extends from the occiput to the middle of the 

 si)ace between the eyes ; on the hinder part it is half divided into 

 two by a narrow longitudinal ridge. In the middle of the foi-ehead are 

 two ridges, chvergent posteriorly and antcrioj^ly, forming posteriorly 

 the cavity mentioned, and in front a space for the upi)er jn'ocesses of 

 the intermaxillary; these ridges are in direct contact M'ith one another, 

 remaining separated in other species. Between each of these ridges 

 and the orbit is situated another elongate ca\ity, tapering at both 

 ends, and extending beyond the nostril. On the sides of the vertex 

 are two or three bony ridges Avith a rough surface, but they are not 

 fon-like arranged, as in other species. The suborbital arch is trans- 

 formed into one continuous ca\'ity, the bony edges of which are con- 

 spicuous and finely serrated. All the opercular pieces arc striated, 

 and each streak tenahiates hi a small spine before reaclumj the pos- 

 terior edge of the bone, the bones thus rceei\ang a rough, spinous 

 appearance. The opercle is narrow, with a transverse keel towards 

 the to]), endmg in a strong prominent spine, of about the size of the 

 first doi'sal spine ; along its base is a series of ctenoid scales ; there 

 IS a notch above the spine, but the lower edge is straight and spini- 

 ferous. The subopercle is very narrow, with a sinus just before 

 the base of the pectoral lin, and a slight transverse ridge beneath, 

 terminating in a small point. The margin above the sinus is slightly 

 convex and spiniferous. In the interoperclc may be distinguished a 

 straight posterior edge, a right angle, and a rather undulating lower 

 margin ; it is spiniferous in all its cii'cumference. The preopercle 

 exhibits two concentric ridges, finely serrated, and with a channel- 

 like cavity between ; the cavity is again covered with a transparent 

 skin ; the angle is roimded ; the cheeks are covered with scales. 



There are six scales between the occiput and the first dorsa^ spine. 

 The spinous dorsal is 2^ as long as the soft, but nearly ecpial in 

 height ; they are united by a low membrane, reaching from the 

 eleventh to the twelfth spine. The third, fourth and fifth spines 

 are longest, the fourth twice as long as the first; the eleventh is 

 only half the size of the first. The twelfth spine, or the first of the 

 soft dorsal, is a little longer than the preceding, and placed on the 

 level of the seventeenth scale of the lateral line. The fourth and 

 fifth rays nre longest, their length being contained 2^ in the greatest 

 depth of body. 



The anal fin commences opposite the second dorsal with a minute 

 spine ; the seccjnd is considerably larger, the third longest and 

 strongest, not (piite as long as the third dorsal one ; posteriorly it 

 is ]>ipvide(l Avith a dcrp furrow, in which the fourth spine together 

 with tlic (-otniccting membrane may be hidden. This fourth sj)ine 

 has the strange api)e;uance of being coiiijtosed of two spines, one 

 shorter anterior and one longer posterior, both being sqtariited by h 



