Miscellaneous. 379 



spiral grooves on the outer surface follow these irregularities just as 

 they would in a natural shell which had been distorted in its growth. 



This is not only the case with the external surface, but the inner 

 surface of the cavity is equally accurate, polished, and marked with 

 spiral grooves which exactly agree with the spiral ridges on the 

 outer surface, which are interrupted by the irregularities of the 

 malformed corrugated shell, but placed just as they would be in an 

 ear shell with such an irregular surface. The external spiral apex 

 is well exhibited ; and the cavity within the spire most accurately 

 represents the cavity that would be found in an ear shell of that 

 shape. 



Some conch ologists to whom I have shown the specimen think it 

 is a real shell. I think it doubtful ; but they may be right : time 

 only will show. 



Descriptions of two new Species of Fislies from tlic Bermuda Islands. 



By G. Brown Goode. 



In a collection of fishes, including some seventy species, made at 

 the Bermudas in the spring of 1872 I find two forms apparently 

 undescribed, descriptions of which are given below. As the marine 

 life of the Bermuda group is essentially West-Indian in its character, 

 these species may be regarded as additions to the ichthyological 

 fauna of the West Indies. 



1. Diapterus Lefroyi, sp. n. 



This species belongs to the genus Oerres as defined by Dr. Gunther. 

 It is distinguished from all other members of the genus and family 

 by its relatively greatly elongated form. The body is fusiform, com- 

 pressed, its greatest height, at the thoracic region, being a little less 

 than one fourth ( - 23) of the total length, and a little more than 

 one fourth ("27) of the length without caudal ('89) : in Diapterus 

 aprion, the most elongated of the species hitherto described, the 

 greatest height is one third of the length. The height of the 

 body is uniform under the spinous portion of the dorsal, sloping 

 gently and at a nearly uniform angle above and below to the middle 

 of the caudal peduncle ; the height of the body behind the dorsal (TO) 

 is less than one half, the least height of the tail ('06) is one fourth 

 of the greatest height of the body. 



The scales are large, measuring *03 and -04 in height, and "02 and 

 •03 in length ; they form about forty-five oblique transverse rows 

 between the head and the caudal, four and a half longitudinal 

 rows between the back and the lateral line, and ten between the 

 lateral line and the belly. 



The length of the head ('22) equals the greatest height of the 

 body, and is double the greatest width of the head(Tl) ; the height 

 at the pupil (44) is double the width of the interorbital space ('07). 

 The length of the snout ("06) equals the length of the operculum 

 (•06) ; when the mouth is protruded the length of the snout is 



