REV. R. T. LOWE ON A NEW GENUS OF LOPIIIDiE. 341 



each side, one a little before the other near the edge of the muzzle, in a smooth, irre- 

 gular pit or hollow, about the distance of the diameter of the eyes on each side the me- 

 dial frontal line. They are so small and obscure that they may be easily overlooked. 

 A line drawn through them backwards falls considerably above or within the orbit of 

 the corresponding eye. The hinder edge of the anterior larger nostril is a little raised 

 or produced and fimbriate. The hinder nostril is a mere simple smaller pore. Eyes of 

 moderate size, roundish-oval, rather prominent or convex, but in no degree protruded 

 or pedicelled, as represented in the Fishing-frog by Cuvier and Valenciennes, t. 362 ; 

 appearing as if encased or covered with a pellucid glassy skin or jelly, within which is 

 seen the iris of a bright golden yellow tinged with orange, and the large black pupil. 

 The orbits are quite plain and simple, flat, skinny, and unarmed, like the whole head, 

 with either spines or crests. They are placed about twice their own diameter apart. 



In the middle of the front of the muzzle, a little before a line drawn across from the 

 fore-edge of one orbit to that of the other, there is a short, pedicelled, soft, flaccid ten- 

 tacle or caruncle, shaped like some little stipitate Fungus {Spathularia or Mitrula), with 

 the head ovato-lanceolate and fimbriato-corrugate. This tentacle is scarcely more than 

 a semi-diameter of the eye in height or length, and falls back into an oval hollow or 

 depression, in which it may easily escape observation. The whole head, as well as nape 

 or dorsal ridge, and indeed the whole body, are destitute of any other tentacle, ray, 

 filament or spine whatever. Neither is there any sort of rudimentary fin, in the shape 

 of hump, horn, crest, or tubercle on the head, nape, or back before the dorsal fin. The 

 top of the head and the nape are however irregularly knobbed or uneven, with bony 

 prominences and depressions. 



The breathing-holes or branchial orifices are placed far backwards, not in, but con- 

 siderably behind the hinder axils of the pectoral fins, in the middle of the flanks, which 

 are peculiarly flaccid and skinny or flabby. They are oval, ear-shaped, and about the 

 size or diameter of the eyes. 



The dorsal fin is single, placed nearly in the middle of the whole length of the head 

 and body together, beginning only the diameter of the eye, nearer the tip of the upper 

 jaw than the middle point between the same tip and the root of the caudal fin. Its 

 height vertically is one-fourth of the length of its base, which is in its turn one-fourth 

 of the whole length of the fish. It has eleven rays, with a small tubercular rough pro- 

 minence at the base of the first ray in front, which might perhaps be called a rudimen- 

 tary twelfth ray. The first ray of the eleven is short, the two next gradually longer ; 

 the fourth, fifth and sixth are the longest, and the rest become gradually shorter. The 

 rays are all simple and rough, with their tips a little produced beyond the web, which is 

 quite smooth and shining. The whole fin resembles much the dorsal fin in Cheironectes. 

 The anal fin is placed far behind, opposite the end of the dorsal, which in shape it 

 resembles, being only much smaller and shorter, with the last four of its five rays nearly 

 equal. Its height vertically is nearly half the length of its base, which is Uttle more 



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