182 DR. RICHARDSON'S DESCRIPTION OF AUSTRALIAN FISH. 



the third electrical nerve issues more superiorly, and crosses the root of the third trunk 

 of the second bundle in its course backwards. In both fish the third nerve appeared to 

 send a large branch backwards through the pectoral girdle to the viscera or tail, but 

 the specimens examined did not admit of my correctly ascertaining the origin of this 

 branch. In Narcine tasmaniensis many nerves issue from foramina in the long first 

 vertebra, and immediately join to form a trunk which runs backwards over the wing- 

 like transverse process, turns round the edge of the broad lateral plate of the pectoral 

 girdle, and keeping along the postero-superior margin of the girdle enters a canal in 

 the outer limb of that cartilage, where it divides into branches going to both surfaces 

 of the pectoral fin. In Torpedo narM these spinal nerves do not form a longitudinal 

 trunk above the lateral process, but run separately outwards over the surface of that 

 bone, converging like the sticks of a fan towards a canal in the pectoral girdle, after 

 leaving which they are principally distributed on the under surface of the pectoral. 

 The stomach of the specimen of N. tasmaniensis which was examined, contains tender 

 Crustacea. 



Dimensions. 



In. Lin. 



Length from extremity of snout to tip of caudal fin . . . . 14 3^ 



Length from extremity of snout to end of tail 13 6 



Length from extremity of snout to end of second dorsal. . . 10 11 



Length from extremity of snout to beginning of second dorsal. 9 11 



Length from extremity of snout to end of first dorsal ... 90 



Length from extremity of snout to beginning of first dorsal 8 11 



Length from extremity of snout to end of ventrals .... 7 9^ 



Length from extremity of snout to vent 6 3 



Length from extremity of snout to end of pectorals .... 56 



Length from extremity of snout to spiracles 19 



Length from extremity of snout to eyes 12 



Length from extremity of snout to mouth 17 



Length from extremity of snout to nasal openings .... 11 



Length from extremity of snout to last branchial opening . . 3 7 

 Length from extremity of snout to first branchial opening . . 2 2 



Height of back 9 



Height of tail behind ventrals 85 



Width of body and pectorals 6 1 



Width of body a little further forward, excluding pectorals . . 4 3 



Width of body and ventrals 4 2 



Width of tail posterior to ventrals 15 



Width of tail at origin of caudal fin 3 



Distance between the spiracles, or between the eyes .... 03^ 



