2. BOX. 419 



('. Adult : skin : very bad state Falmouth fish-market. Presented 



by W. P. Cork, Esq. 

 k\ Adult. Old Collection. 

 I. Half-f^rown : bad state. 

 m. Hall'-grown : bad state. 



n. Half-grown : stuffed. From Mr. Yarrcll's Collection. 

 0. Young. 

 ^>. Adult : skin. From Gronov's Collection. - . 



Var. CARAimcA, an species? 

 q. Fine specimen. 8t. Vincent's. From Mr. Macgillivray's Collection. 

 D. -. A. 4. L. lat. 80. L. transv. 8/15. 



14 lb 



This specimen differs more from the Mediterranean fish than the 

 Boops canariensis of Valenciennes, having smaller scales above the 

 lateral line ; but the wider the range of ? species, and the more 

 numerous it is in individuals, the more caution is required in sepa- 

 rating new forms from it, as after all it may prove to be a climatic 

 or an accidental variety. But the fish is verj' interesting, as a spe- 

 cimen of Box lias not yet been found in the West Indies. 



SJcehton. — The occipital crest and the two lateral crests are thin, 

 feeble, and moderately elevated ; the former does not extend on the 

 frontal bones, and the latter emit a flat free process posteriorly. The 

 upper surface of the frontal bones is roughened by low irregular ridges 

 and grooves ; there is a shallow median groove along the snture of 

 the bones. The turbinal bones are transformed into a rather elongate 

 tube. The posterior process of the intermaxillary is shorter than 

 the descending branch of the bone ; the mandibula is of moderate 

 length, as long as the prjEorbital. The vomer is cuneiform, flat. 

 The praiorbital is elongate, slightly tapering posteriorly ; the re- 

 mainder of the infraorbital arch is somewhat narrower, without 

 interior plate. The pra^operculum has no prominent ridge, or a 

 developed muciferous canity ; its angidar portion is very thin, flexible, 

 broad, produced, Avith the posterior margin rounded. The operculum 

 is twice as high as broad, and has a very obtuse jiosterior point, 

 Avith a slight notch above. The subopcrculum is elongate, and has 

 a nearly vertical situation. The basal portion of the brain-capsule 

 is compressed, and the basisphenoid has a verj' wide foramen before 

 the occipital joint. The urohyal is distinguished by a very deep in- 

 cisure in its posterior margin, Each pubic ])one is formed by three 

 lameUse of equal extent ; their entire length is less than that of the 

 coracoid. 



I find one vertebra more than stated by Valenciennes, namely 

 eleven abdominal vertehrce and thirteen caudal, the length pf the 

 former portion of the vertebral column being to that of' the latter as 

 1 : 1-07. The single vertebrae are rather elongate ; the neural and 

 hccmal spines narrow, except those of the first four vertebra;, which 

 are dilated ; the interneural spines are dilated, triangular, but short, 

 and do not extend between the neural spines. The interha^mal 

 spines are very feeble, and the first is scarcely difFerent fiom the 

 othei's. Tlie ribs are slender. 



2 i: 2 



