14 



Moutli crescent-shaped, considerably protractile, the distance between its 

 angles is about two-thirds the length of the snout. The labial fold extends 

 rather more than half-way between the angle of the mouth and the middle of the 

 lower jaw. 



Teeth of the upper jaw acute, triangular, in two series : those of the lower 

 jaw very oblique, in a single series. 



The posterior borders of all the fins are frayed or fringed, this not being 

 due to abrasion. The angle of the pectoral is rounded ; the extremity of the 

 ventral is almost in the perpendicular with the after limit of the base of the 

 second dorsal. The dorsal spines (measured obliquely as they stand) are not 

 much more than half the greatest height of their fins, but their points project 

 well beyond the skin ; the second dorsal is a little larger than the first. 



Scales minute, acutely and very elegantly tridentate, or anchor-shaped. 



Colour uniform jet-black. 



A single specimen, 10 inches long, from off the Travancore coast, 430 fath. 



Regd. No. ^. 



Named in memory of Captain Daniel Ross, who, according to Sir Clements 

 Markham, was the first Indian " Marine Sui'veyor- General " (1823-1833) to 

 introduce a really scientific method into marine surveying in India. 



This species is closely related to the Gentrophorus calceus Lowe and the 

 Centrophorus obscurus Vaillant of the Atlantic-Mediterranean gate and to the 

 Gentrophorus foliacem of the Japanese Sea. 



Centroscyllium, Midler and Henle. 



CentrouyUium, Miiller and Henle, Plagiostomen, p. 191. : Gunther Catalogae of Fishes, VIII. 425 : Jordan and 

 Evermann, Fishes of North and Middle America, I. p. 56: Goode and Bean, Oceanic Ichthyology, p. II. 

 Paracentroscyllium, Alcock, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. Nov. 1889, p. 379. 



" Two dorsal fins, each with a strong spine : no anal fin. Mouth crescent- 

 " shaped : a straight oblique groove at each angle of the mouth. Teeth equal 

 " in both jaws, very small, tricuspid. No membrana nictitans. Spiracles of 

 " moderate width. Gill-openings rather narrow." {Giinther). 



Centroscyllium contains three species, Centroscyllium fabricii from Green- 

 land, North America and the coast of " Sahara," Gentrosc2jlluim granulatum from 

 the Falkland Is., and Centroscyllium ornatum from the Arabian Sea and Bay of 

 Bengal, 690-620 and 405-285 fathoms. 



2. Cetitrosci/lUuni ornatum, Alcock. 



Paracenh-oscyllium ornatum, Alcock, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. Nov. 1889, p. 379 : Illusiratio.vs of the Zoologv 

 OP THE Investigator, Fishes, pl. VIII. fig. 2 (young), pi. XXXV. fig. 1. 



Centroscyllium ornatum, Alcock, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, Vol. LXV. pt 2, 189t3, pp. 30S, 310, 



