FISH. 161 
falling to the middle before losing itself in the caudal. Scales small, covering the whole head 
and body, except the snout in front of the eyes, the jaws, and the limb of the preopercle. The 
free portion of each scale marked with several small concentric circles, the free edge finely 
ciliated: the basal portion with a fan of seven striae, and the spaces between these deeper striz 
with minuter striz running transversely: the basal margin cut square. 
Pectorals attached rather low down, and a little posterior to the terminating angle of the 
opercle; their length about three-fourths that of the head: the fourth to the eighth rays 
longest ; the first ray only half the length of the second; the first two, and the last three or 
four, simple; the rest branched. Ventrals about four-fifths the length of the pectorals, and in 
advance of those fins by nearly half their own length; their spine very distinct. First dorsal 
short, commencing immediately above the insertion of the pectoral: all the spines very slender, 
with the intervening membrane delicate ; the second longest, equalling about half the depth ; 
the third and following ones gradually decreasing. Second dorsal long, separated from the 
first by a very small interval, and occupying a space just equal to the distance between its com- 
mencement and the end of the snout: the rays gradually decreasing in length from the anterior 
ones, which equal three-fourths of the depth; all simple, or if branched, only so at their 
extreme tips. The interval between the second dorsal and the caudal contained eight-and-a- 
half times in the entire length. Anal commencing under the sixth ray of the second dorsal, 
or exactly at the middle point of the entire length, caudal excluded ; extending a trifle beyond 
the second dorsal, but in other respects answering to that fin. Caudal square when spread, 
but very slightly notched when the rays are close ; contained six-and-a half times in the entire 
length ; the principal rays branched. 
Cotour.—(In spirits.) Back and upper half of the sides pale olivaceous, with about seven or eight 
abbreviated, transverse, dusky fascize ; beneath these are two irregular lines undulating longi- 
tudinally in a zig-zag manner, and having rather a tendency to meet at the angles, so as to 
form a connected longitudinal chain of diamond-shaped links. Lower portion of the sides 
and abdomen silvery. Tubal pores of the lateral line white, making this line very evident. 
Dorsal and caudal fins speckled with small dusky spots and points, Pectorals, ventrals, and 
anal, quite plain, and whitish. 
A second specimen in the collection exactly resembles the above, except in being not quite 
so large, and in having a ray less in each of the two dorsal fins. 
Habitat, Chonos Archipelago, W. coast of S. America. 
The genus Aphritis was first established by M. Valenciennes, in the appendix 
to the eighth volume of the ‘‘ Histoire des Poissons,” for the reception of a small 
Percoid fish obtained by MM. Quoy and Gaimard in Van Dieman’s Land, in- 
habiting fresh-water. The species above described, which was taken by Mr. 
Darwin in Lowe’s Harbour, South of Chiloe, appears to be referable to the same 
genus. It differs, however, in many respects from the A. Urvillit, the only one 
which Valenciennes has noticed. The relative situation of the first dorsal with 
respect to the pectorals, and of the anal with respect to the second dorsal, is dif- 
ferent: there are fewer rays in the anal, and more in the second dorsal : the 
upper, instead of the lower jaw, as represented in Valenciennes’s figure, is 
Y 
