94 
ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 
TrRIPTERYGION Capiro. Jen. 
Prats XIX. fig. 1. 
TL. fusco-griseum, pinnis concoloribus : tentaculis palpebralibus duobus parvis gracilibus 
e crinibus duobus vel tribus formatis ; nasalibus minutis simplicibus: dorsali prima 
humili sex-radiatd, radiis subequalibus ; secundé duplo altiore ; tertid parum altis- 
stmd : lined laterali abbreviatd, vix ultra pectorales extensd. 
B. 6; D.6—20—14; A. 25; C. 14, &c.; P. 16; V. 2. 
Lone. une. 2. lin. 5. 
Form.— Depth at the pectorals one-sixth of the length: thickness at the same part about two-thirds 
of the depth. Head rather large, thicker than the body, contained four and a half times in the 
entire length. Snout short, the profile falling very abruptly from between the eyes. These last 
large, one-third the length of the head, high in the cheeks, reaching to, but hardly interrupting, 
the line of the profile. Above each a short slender compound tentacle: that on the right side 
consists of two filaments, one simple, the other forked, so as to appear like three ; that on the 
left appears undivided. Also a minute filament at each nostril. The maxillary reaches to 
beneath the middle of the orbit. Jaws equal: in each a row of small conical sharp-pointed 
teeth, with a broad velutine band behind, the band, however, only in front. A transverse band 
of velutine teeth on the vomer, extending a little on to the palatines. Opercle and preopercle 
rounded. Branchial membrane free all round, with a shallow notch in the middle underneath. 
The first dorsal commences in a vertical line with the insertions of the ventrals ; the rays 
are six in number, and so nearly equal in length as to cause the fin to appear quite even; its 
height is scarcely more than one-third of the depth. The second dorsal begins a little behind 
the origin of the pectorals: it is also nearly even, but twice the height of the first. The third 
closely follows the second: this fin is uneven, but its most elevated point is somewhat higher 
still than the.second. The rays of the first and second of these fins are spinous: those of the 
third soft and articulated, but all simple. The anal, which has also simple rays, commences 
beneath the middle of the second dorsal, and terminates in the same vertical line with the end 
of the third, between which last and the caudal is a small space. Caudal square, with twelve 
of the principal rays branched. Pectorals a little less than one-fourth of the entire length ; the 
ninth and tenth rays longest ; the six lowermost rather stouter than the others, and, as well 
as the three uppermost, which are very slender, simple ; the fourth to the tenth, both inclusive, 
branched. Ventrals contained about six and a half times in the entire length; consisting of 
only two slender filamentous rays. 
Scales minute, their free edges finely ciliated ; the concealed portion of each scale marked 
with twelve or fourteen striw. The lateral line rises at the upper angle of the opercle, and is 
well marked by a row of tubular scales till it reaches a little beyond the extremity of the 
reclined pectoral, where it abruptly terminates, and all further trace of it is lost. 
Cotour.—(In spirits.) Of a nearly uniform dark brown, inclining to griseous, with some appear- 
ance of darker clouds or spots between the second dorsal and the lateral line; this last also is 
indicated by a darker streak than the ground colour. Fins dark brown: there is, however, 
some trace of a white edging to the anterior half of the anal, which may have been more con- 
spicuous in the living state. 
