﻿PISCES, 
  31 
  

  

  Two 
  specimens 
  were 
  collected 
  at 
  Port 
  MoUe. 
  Their 
  dimensions 
  

   are 
  : 
  — 
  

  

  Total 
  length 
  27 
  lines. 
  

  

  Length 
  of 
  tail 
  Hi 
  ,, 
  

  

  Length 
  of 
  head 
  5 
  „ 
  

  

  Length 
  of 
  snout 
  ^| 
  „ 
  

  

  BRANCHIOSTOMA. 
  

  

  The 
  recent 
  discovery 
  of 
  a 
  second 
  undoubtedly 
  distinct 
  species 
  of 
  

   Leptocardian 
  on 
  the 
  coast 
  of 
  Australia 
  {Epigoniclithijs 
  cultellus) 
  

   as 
  well 
  as 
  the 
  acquisition 
  of 
  several 
  well-preserved 
  examples, 
  for 
  

   which 
  we 
  are 
  indebted 
  to 
  Dr. 
  Coppinger, 
  induced 
  me 
  to 
  reexamine 
  

   all 
  the 
  specimens 
  in 
  the 
  British 
  Museum, 
  which, 
  having 
  been 
  pre- 
  

   served 
  in 
  spirit 
  for 
  a 
  great 
  many 
  years, 
  Avere 
  by 
  themselves 
  not 
  

   reliable 
  evidence 
  as 
  to 
  the 
  question 
  whether 
  the 
  European 
  Lancelot 
  

   is 
  a 
  cosmopolitan 
  form, 
  or 
  represented 
  by 
  several 
  distinct 
  species 
  in 
  

   other 
  parts 
  of 
  the 
  globe. 
  

  

  J. 
  Miiller 
  (' 
  Ueber 
  d. 
  Ban 
  d. 
  BrancJiiostoma,' 
  p. 
  84) 
  was 
  unable 
  to 
  

   observe 
  any 
  differences 
  between 
  Brazilian 
  and 
  European 
  specimens 
  ; 
  

   and 
  I 
  not 
  only 
  took 
  the 
  same 
  view, 
  but 
  considered 
  specimens 
  from 
  

   Indian 
  and 
  Australian 
  localities 
  to 
  be 
  referable 
  to 
  one 
  species 
  only. 
  

  

  I 
  have 
  now 
  convinced 
  myself 
  that 
  this 
  view 
  (Cat. 
  Pish. 
  viii. 
  

   p. 
  513) 
  is 
  incorrect, 
  and 
  that 
  Sundevall 
  was 
  quite 
  right 
  in 
  drawing 
  

   attention 
  to 
  the 
  number 
  of 
  myocommas 
  as 
  an 
  excellent 
  taxonomic 
  

   character. 
  This 
  number 
  can 
  be 
  ascertained 
  even 
  in 
  specimens 
  in 
  

   an 
  indifferent 
  state 
  of 
  preservation, 
  and 
  varies 
  very 
  little 
  ; 
  whilst 
  

   the 
  extent 
  in 
  depth 
  and 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  delicate 
  fin 
  which 
  surrounds 
  

   the 
  posterior 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  tail 
  is 
  a 
  much 
  less 
  reliable 
  character, 
  subject 
  

   to 
  much 
  alteration 
  by 
  the 
  spirit, 
  if 
  great 
  care 
  is 
  not 
  taken 
  in 
  the 
  

   preservation 
  of 
  the 
  specimens. 
  

  

  The 
  species 
  of 
  Bramhiostoma 
  would 
  then 
  be 
  the 
  following 
  : 
  — 
  

  

  1. 
  Brancliiostoma 
  elongatum. 
  

  

  Sundevall, 
  (Efvers. 
  Vet.-Akad. 
  Forhandl. 
  1852, 
  p. 
  147; 
  and 
  1853, 
  

   p. 
  12. 
  

  

  Myocommas 
  49 
  + 
  18 
  + 
  12=79. 
  

   Coast 
  of 
  Peru. 
  

   Of 
  this 
  species 
  I 
  have 
  not 
  seen 
  specimens. 
  

  

  2. 
  Branchiostoma 
  bassanum. 
  

  

  Myocommas 
  44 
  + 
  13 
  + 
  18 
  = 
  75, 
  or 
  

   43 
  + 
  15 
  + 
  17=75, 
  or 
  

   45 
  + 
  14+17=76. 
  

   Body 
  lower 
  than 
  in 
  B. 
  lanceolatum 
  ; 
  dorsal 
  and 
  anal 
  fins 
  low, 
  

   with 
  the 
  caudal 
  portion 
  slightly 
  wider 
  ; 
  vent 
  lateral 
  ; 
  (oral 
  cirrhi 
  

   10 
  + 
  11). 
  

  

  These 
  are 
  the 
  specimens 
  from 
  Bass-tStraits 
  which 
  I 
  formerly 
  

   referred 
  to 
  B. 
  lanceolatum. 
  

  

  