168 Mr. J. Y. Johnson on rare and little-known 



height under the first dorsal. The first ray is not quite equal 

 to the total length of the fin, which is equal to about one-eighth 

 of the total length of the fish, and reaches back to the fifth ray 

 of the second dorsal. The fifth, sixth, and seventh rays are 

 longer than the rest, the last being by a trifle the longest. 



The thoracic ventral fins are separated by a wide interval, and 

 have their first and second rays very long, the latter being to 

 the total length of the fish as 1 to 4f nearly. 



The vent is a little in advance of the anal fin, which is about 

 two-thirds of the length of the second dorsal fin, and has its 

 highest part in front. The middle is depressed, the posterior 

 extremity angular, and it terminates a little in front of the end 

 of the second dorsal. Like that fin, it has the lower two-thirds 

 fleshy, and covered with small scales between the rays. 



The caudal fin is truncate, and at the middle its length is 

 about one twenty-third of the total length of the fish. 



The deciduous scales are small, and have the free border sim- 

 ple. The lateral line commences in advance of the first dorsal 

 fin, rising slightly with a gentle curve, to fall rapidly just behind 

 the vent, whence it is straight to the middle of the tail. The 

 scales of the lateral line are about 2C0 ; and there are about 85 

 rows of scales in the height, of which 15 are above the lateral 

 line. 



On opening specimen A., the liver was found to be excessively 

 large, forming three lobes, two of which were 7 inches long and 

 between 2 and 3 inches across. The pyloric cseca were in two 

 bundles, eight on each side, and 3^ inches in length. An air- 

 sac with a very thick coat, 4 inches long, lay under the back. 

 The csecal stomach had also a thick coat, and was 4 inches in 

 length. The intestine had two convolutions, and was 17 inches 

 long. 



One of the three specimens was taken in the month of January, 

 the other two in March. Their dimensions in inches are given 

 in the following table : — 



A. B. C. 



Total length 25 35 21| 



Height under commencement of 2nd dorsal. 5| 8 4{ 



Thickness, same place 3j 



Length of head 5| 



Eyes, diameter 1 



„ distance from one to the other It 



Mouth, upper jaw, length 2\ 



„ width from side to side when open .... 2f 



Barbel ] \ 



1st dorsal fin, distance from snout 6 



length of 1st ray 81 lOf 



„ „ 2nd ray 



