FISH. 7 
cronibus tribus planis, intermedio maximo; rostro toto, et mawilld inferiore, squa- 
matis. 
Bo 7 De aiilas Aj s/s sO rake 145 Vc to: 
Lone. une. 4}. 
Form.—Back very little elevated ; the greatest depth rather less than one-fourth of the entire length. 
Nape slightly depressed, with which exception, the dorsal line from the commencement of the 
dorsal fin to the crown of the head, is nearly horizontal : from between the eyes to the end of 
the snout, the profile is considerably convex. Head rather more than one-third of the entire 
length. Eyes large, their diameter about one-fourth the length of the head, high in the cheeks, 
and distant rather less than a diameter from the end of the snout. Lower jaw longer than the 
upper. The teeth above consist of a narrow velutine band, with a few, a little behind the 
anterior extremity, longer than the others, but slender and curving backwards; in front, and on 
each side of the extremity are two moderate canines : beneath there is a narrow band of velutine 
and fine card mixed, but no canines. The lower jaw, and the snout quite to the extremity, as 
well as the suborbitals, are covered with minute scales, but not the maxillary. The preopercle 
has the ascending margin nearly rectilineal, and finely denticulated ; the angle at bottom rather 
sharp, and the denticles at this part, as well as immediately above it, rather more developed 
than the others. Opercle with three flat points; the upper and lower ones equal, the middle 
one larger, but not projecting so far as the membrane. Dorsal spines invested with membranous 
tags at their tips; of nearly equal lengths, with the exception of the first two; the third and 
fourth a little the longest: the soft portion of the fin higher than the spinous. Anal rounded, 
terminating sooner than the dorsal; the second spine a trifle longer than the third, as well as 
stouter. The caudal is injured, but appears to have been square, or perhaps slightly rounded. 
Rows of minute scales between the rays of all the vertical fins. 
Cotour.—“ Dark greenish, black above, beneath lighter; sides marked with light emerald green : 
tips of the anal, caudal, and hinder part of the dorsal, saffron yellow ; tips of the pectorals 
orpiment orange.” —D. These colours have been much altered by the action of the spirit. 
The general ground is now dusky lead, mottled and sprinkled on the sides with dirty white. 
There is an appearance of four oblong black spots on the upper part of the back beneath the 
base of the dorsal, not noticed by Mr. Darwin. The tips of the fins have entirely lost their 
bright colours. 
Habitat, Porto Praya, St. Jago, Cape Verde Islands. 
This species was also obtained at Porto Praya, off Quail Island. It belongs 
to that division of the genus which Cuvier has distinguished by the name of 
Meérou, and to his section of Mérous piquetés ; but it will not accord with any of 
those described in the ‘“ Histoire des Poissons.” There is only one specimen of 
it in the collection, which is small, and probably not full-sized. 
