2. BOX. 421 



Pimelepterus, &c. The mandibulary is stout, elevated, and short, 

 shorter than the praiorbital, and relatively much shorter than in Box 

 vuJ(jaris. The vomer has a broad and flat head, and its posterior 

 portion compressed and narrow. The praeorbital has its upper anterior 

 portion rather produced, and its inferior edge slightly emarginatc. 

 The infraorbital ring is not much narrower than the posterior part 

 of the praeorbital, and has no interior plate. The angle of the prse - 

 operculum is regularly rounded and not produced. The operculum 

 is quadrangular, twice as high as broad ; the anterior side is the 

 longest, the superior the shortest ; it has no spine at all. The sub- 

 opcrculum is obliquely situated, and much narrower than the inter- 

 operculum . The basal jDortion of the brain-capsule is very compressed, 

 and the basisphenoid has a wide and elongate foramen before the 

 occipital joint. The glossohyal is very short, triangular. The uro- 

 hyal not only has a very deep posterior incisure, but the lower of 

 the two processes formed by that incisure is again deeply forked. 

 The pubic bones are formed by three lamellae of equal extent, as 

 in Box vulgaris, but they are relatively longer, and not much shorter 

 than the coracoid. 



I find one vertebra more than stated by Valenciennes, namely 

 ten abdominal and fourteen caudal vertebra;, the length of the former 

 portion of the vertebral column being to that of the latter as 1 : 1-18. 

 The single vertebrae are strong, but not distinguished hj their length. 

 The neural and haemal spines are narrow, remote from each other, 

 except those of the first three vertebrae, which are dilated. The 

 intemeural spines are rather short, and do not extend very far 

 between the neurals ; those of the spinous dorsal are dilated. The 

 interhaemal spines are very feeble ; the first is stronger and longer 

 than the others, with a short anterior ridge, and is attached to the 

 haemal of the eleventh vertebra. The ribs are of moderate strength, 

 and some have epipleural spines. 



The incisors are similar to those of Pimelepterus ; there arc nine 

 on each side of the upper jaw, and twelve on each side of the lower. 

 Each has a free vertical portion and a horizontal one, by which the 

 tooth is anchylosed to the bone. The vertical portion has a shallow 

 outer longitudinal groove, terminating in a notch at the cutting 

 margin ; the horizontal portion is compressed, and has a very deep 

 groove for the soft parts of the tooth. The teeth are replaced from 

 time to time by others, ivhich enter tJieir place from the outside of the 

 series, whilst we observe, in other fishes of this family, that the teeth 

 replacing the old ones are developed on the interior side of the cavity 

 of the mouth. The pharyngeal teeth form broad cardiform patches, 

 and are stronger beneath than above. 



3. Box goreensis, 

 Cuv. Sr Val. vi. p. 364. 



Very similar to B. salpa, but without black at the axil, (l^al.) 

 A rather doubtful species from Cape Verde. 



