128 ORTURAGORISCUS NASUS. 



The proboscis protuding above the mouth ends in a strongly 

 developed osseus tubercle and passes into a very decided 

 swell on either side over the eye; just over and a little be- 

 hind the eye this swell is most prominent , further on it de- 

 creases and entirely loses itself a little before the pectoral fin. 



In this way is formed at the back , as it were a crest , 

 extending from just before and over the eye as far as the 

 root of the dorsal fin. Behind the pectoral fin are seen 

 parallel longitudinal folds , the most marked ones pretty 

 near in the middle, running straight on in the direction 

 of the eye. On the animal being skinned, these folds were 

 found to be local swellings of the skin. 



As to the band between body and caudal fin , so clearly 

 visible in our Ameland specimen , it is almost invisible in 

 the smaller one from Calantsoog and might even be over- 

 looked. There are no deep grooves to be seen and the skin 

 of the band is all over set with the little pricks caused by 

 the dermal ossifications. 



In having a snout, and longitudinal folds behind the 

 pectoral fin as well as in presenting the slight band between 

 body and caudal fin our specimen quite agrees with Har- 

 ting's Orthragoriscus ozodura and Steen strup's Mola tmsus. 

 On the score of these characteristics, more fully developed 

 in Note 32 volume XII, I think it better to separate this 

 species from the Ortragoriscus mola L., of which our Ame- 

 land specimen may be regarded as a representative, and 

 call it Orthragoriscus nasus after Ranzani's description of 

 Diplanchias nasus. 



Our specimen is of a brownish colour, overlaid with a 

 silvery tinge, particularly at the lower parts, and was 

 covered all over with round and elliptical bright spots. 



The figure added to this note was made after a photo- 

 gram taken by Dr. Hoek's care, and may give a sufiScient 

 clear idea of the exterior of our fish , expecially of the 

 snout; moreover our specimen is carefully stuffed and 

 preserved in the collections of our Museum. 



Notes from tlie Ley den IMuseutn, Vol. XIV. 



