144 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 
anticis bi- lateralibus uni-sertatis ; in vomere uni-seriatis ; anticis supra subtusque, 
lateralibus secundartis supra, et vomerinis, fortibus: pinnd dorsali antice ob- 
soleta. 
Lone. unc. 20. lin. 6. 
Form.—Very much compressed about the head and jaws. Body tapering posteriorly; the depth in 
the middle equalling about one-thirteenth of the entire length. Head, measured to the bran- 
chial orifice, about one-seventh. Profile falling obliquely in a straight line from the nape to 
the extremity of the snout. Jaws very narrow, rather lengthened and sharp-pointed, equal. 
Gape deeply cleft, reaching as far back behind the eyes as it advances before them. Teeth 
compressed at the sides, very sharp, slightly hooked and pointing backwards; above, in a single 
row in front, in two rows at the sides; below, in two rows in front, and in a single row at the 
sides ; in each case, however, the secondary row is very imperfect, some of them appearing to 
have been lost; also a row down the vomer, but interrupted in the middle of the series: 
the front teeth above and below, and the secondary ones at the sides of the upper jaw, are 
much stronger than the others; but the first three on the vomer, being those anterior to the 
blank space, are perhaps longer and more developed than any in the jaws. Two tubular 
orifices above the eyes, and two at the extremity of the snout. Eyes distant from the end 
of the snout twice their own diameter. Branchial orifice of the same size as the eyes. Three 
or four large pores arranged ina line along the edge of the upper jaw, but none apparent 
on the lower. 
Dorsal fin thick and fleshy, and not very distinguishable from the body, excepting 
posteriorly, so that its exact point of commencement cannot be fixed with precision. Vent a 
trifle in advance of the middle point of the entire length. Anal fin still less distinguishable 
than the dorsal. 
Cotour.—* Fine dark purplish brown, with yellow circular spots.’—D.—The spots are mostly 
small, and many of them not bigger than large pin’s heads. They are smaller and more 
crowded about the head than elsewhere, giving a freckled appearance. 
A second specimen is smaller than the above, measuring thirteen inches and a half in length. 
This specimen has the teeth more perfect. In the upper jaw, there is first an outer row 
reaching all round, in which the teeth are mostly small and regular, but towards the front 
mixed with some much longer ones; behind this, about the middle of the sides, is a short 
secondary row consisting of five or six teeth as long as those in front in the first row: in the 
lower jaw, the secondary row consists likewise only of four or five long teeth, but here they 
are placed in front instead of at the sides. Mr. Darwin’s notes respecting the colours of 
this smaller specimen are as follows: ‘“ Dark reddish-purple brown, with pale, or whitish- 
brown spots: eyes bluish.” 
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. 
The larger of the two specimens above described was taken by Mr. Darwin 
at Charles Island, the smaller one in tidal pools at Chatham Island, in the Gala- 
pagos Archipelago. It appears to be an undescribed species, though bearing 
much similarity to the M. Meleagris of Shaw. 
