30. APIONICHTHYS. 489 



as the head. Pectoral very small, its length bijing only one-third 

 of the width of the orbit. The ventral rays are arranged in the 

 same direction with the anal rays, and continuous with them. Vent 

 entirely on the left side. Yellowish-olive, with fourteen brown 

 cross-bands, as broad as the interspaces, which again are crossed by 

 narrow brown bands. The first band crosses the snout, the second 

 and third the eye ; all extend over the dorsal and anal. Caudal with 

 three brown cross-bands, the posterior of which occupies the hinder 

 third of the fin. Tips of the rays of the vertical fins white. 



29. SOLEOTALPA. 



Eyes rudimentary, on the right side. Mouth unsymmetrical, 

 narrow, narrower on the left side than on the right ; teeth minute, 

 on the blind side only. Dorsal and anal rays scaly, simple ; the 

 dorsal fin commences on the extremity of the snout, and terminates 

 at the root of the caudal. Pectorals none. Right ventral contiguous 

 with the anal ; the left rudimentary. Scales small, ctenoid ; lateral 

 line straight. Gill-opening exceedingly narrow. 



West Indies. 



1. Soleotalpa unicolor. 



D. 76. A. 57. V. dextr. 5, sin. 2. L. lat. 92. 



Uniform brownish -grey. 

 West Indies. 



a. Three inches long. Purchased of Mr. Scrivener. 



Description. — Body very flat and thin, its height being contained 

 twice and three-fourths in the total length (without caudal), the 

 length of the head four times and a third. The upper part of the 

 snout is dilated, bent downwards like an aquiline nose, the end 

 covering the symphysis of the mandibles ; the cleft of the mouth is 

 curved, the lower eye being immediately above its angle. The eyes 

 are mere points, rather distant from each other. The giU-opening 

 is reduced to a very small slit, the gill-membrane being attached to 

 the sides of the throat. The dorsal fin compiences on the extremity 

 of the snout and terminates at the root of the caudal ; its rays are 

 simple, and each is accompanied by a series of very small ctenoid 

 scales ; the longest rays are not quite half as long as the head, and 

 occupy the middle and the third quarter of the fin. Caudal quite 

 free, as long as the head, somewhat pointed. The right ventral 

 appears as a mere continuation of the anal ; the left is reduced to 

 two minute rays near the vent. The scales on both sides are ctenoid, 

 those on the neck and on the chin being twice the size of those on the 

 body. 



30. APIONICHTHYS. 



Apionichthys, Kmij} iti Wieym. Arch. 1858, p. 104. 

 '* Pear-shaped in habit; caudal pointed ; flat on the coloured side. 



