394 MACRURID^. 



where they equal in length the horizontal diameter of the orbit. 

 The pectoral is inserted below the middle of the depth of the body, 

 with a nan-ow base ; it is more than half as long as the head, and 

 composed of eighteen rays. The insertion of the ventral is scarcely 

 before that of the pectoral ; it is shorter than the pectoral, its outer 

 ray being slightly produced. 



The scales are irregularly polygonal, of moderate size ; their free 

 portion, which forms a quarter of the whole scale, is covered with 

 smaU spines. The lateral line, which is nearly straight, is formed 

 by a smooth groove, dividing each scale into two. 



Uniform brown : fins and belly blackish ; the basal portion of the 

 anal transparent. 



Skeleton. — The bones of the skull are very thin, transparent, flexible, 

 the rough external covering not being a part of the endoskelcton, 

 from which it may be easily detached. The occipital crest is not 

 very prominent above the level of the skull ; a pair of lateral ridges 

 run from the orbital portion of the principal frontal bones towards 

 the scapulary region. The interorbital space is broad, deeply convex ; 

 a crest, not contiguous with the occipital, runs along its middle, and 

 is continued on over the ethmoid to the end of the snout. The 

 ethmoid is nearly entirely free, and forms the extremity of the snout. 

 Orbit very large. The suborbital bones are very broad, curved, form- 

 ing a broad channel ; the hindmost is attached to the prseoperculum, 

 the ridge of which is continuous with that of the suborbital ring. 

 The jaw-bones are entirely at the lower side of the head, the pro- 

 cesses of the iatermaxUlaries having a vertical position. Lower jaw 

 with a deep muciferous channel. Operculum small, triangular, with 

 the lower side deeply emarginate. 



There are twelve abdominal vertebrae, this portion of the vertebral 

 column being shorter than the head ; the transverse processes of the 

 abdominal vertebrae are moderately elongate and dilated. 



In that portion of the tail which is preserved there are fifty-one 

 vertebrae, and we should say that about ten vertebrae have been lost. 



5. Macrurus sclerorhynchus. 



Valenc.in Webb ^ BeHhel. iks Canar. p. 80. pi. 14, fig. 1 (from a stuffed 

 specimen). 



D. 11 I 87. A. 72. 



A vertical series below the fii-st dorsal contains twenty-six or 

 twenty-eight scales, five of which appear to be above the lateral line. 

 Scales spiny, the spines being arranged in series ; the spines of the 

 middle series are the largest, and form together a sort of keel. The 

 second dorsal ray is denticiilated anteriorly, extending far beyond the 

 origin of the second dorsal, if laid backwards. Vent situated behind 

 the vertical from the last ray of the first dorsal. The projecting part 

 of the snout is trihedral, shorter than the diameter of the eye, which 

 is two-fifths of the length of the head. 



Lanzarote. 



The typical specimen, from which these characters arc taken, is 

 O-'-lBO long. 



