10 
ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 
fifth of the entire length. Head contained three and a half times in the same. Profile slopmg 
gradually from the commencement of the dorsal to the end of the snout in one continuous very 
gentle curve. The lower jaw a little the longest. The teeth are in strong card in both jaws, 
their points curving inwards and backwards: those above longest anteriorly, where they form 
about three rows ; posteriorly they become velutine, as in the last species, and consist of not 
more than two rows: in the lower jaw the teeth are equally large at the sides as in front, and, 
excepting quite at the anterior extremity, in only two rows, the inner of which is stronger than 
the outer. The canines are small, and scarcely stronger than the other teeth; in number* and 
situation, the same as in the S. labriformis. The vomerine and palatine teeth are very fine 
velutine. Eyes rather large, and high in the cheeks, equidistant from the upper angle of the 
preopercle and the intermaxillary, with a diameter about one-seventh the length of the head ; 
the distance between them equals one diameter and one-third. The margin of the suborbital 
is entire, and nearly straight. The maxillary, when the mouth is closed, reaches to beneath 
the middle of the orbit. The nostrils are a little in advance of the eyes, and consist of one 
large, nearly circular, aperture, enclosing two smaller ones, which are also circular and placed 
equally in advance. The crown, and space between the eyes, and entire cheeks, are covered 
with small scales ; there are also some minute ones on the lower jaw, and on the extremity of 
the snout before the eyes; but they are scarcely obvious, if present, on the first suborbital, and 
not at all perceptible on the maxillary. The preopercle is rather more than rectangular; the 
basal margin nearly straight and horizontal; the angle rather sharp; the ascending margin 
with a slight sinuosity just above the angle, afterwards straight and nearly vertical, very obso- 
letely denticulated throughout its course. The osseous portion of the opercle terminates poste- 
riorly in two flat points, nearly equal, but the lower one rather the more developed, between which 
it is emarginate. The angle of the membrane is considerably produced beyond the lower 
point. The line of separation between the opercle and subopercle is tolerably obvious. Gill- 
opening large. All the pieces of the gill-cover are covered with scales scarcely smaller than 
those on the body. The scales on the body are not large, of an oblong form, with their free 
edges scarcely at all ciliated, not enough to feel rough to the touch; their whole surface very 
finely striated, with twelve deeper striz on the basal half, and the basal margin crenated. 
Lateral line not very conspicuous, parallel to the back at about one-fourth of the depth. The 
dorsal commences in a line with the posterior angle of the opercle, and occupies a space equal- 
ling half the entire length, caudal excluded : spines strong, and tagged at their extremities ; the 
second longest, equalling not quite half the depth; third and succeeding ones gradually 
decreasing to the tenth, which is about half the length of the second; the eleventh again 
longer ; then follow the soft rays, which are nearly even, but all higher than the last spinous. 
The anal commences in a line with the third soft ray in the dorsal, and terminates a little before 
that fin: first spine very short ; the third longest, but the second stoutest: of the soft rays the 
third and fourth are longest, and nearly twice the length of the third spine, being longer than 
the soft rays in the dorsal; from the fourth they gradually decrease, giving this portion of the 
fin a rounded form. The caudal is nearly even, but the central rays are a little shorter than the 
outer ones. There are no rows of scales between the soft rays of the dorsal and anal, and 
* There are actually only three below in this specimen, but there is little doubt of four bemg the normal 
number, one appearing to have been lost. 
