66 Zoological Society : — 



and much branched, the last ray being elongated*. The anal fin is 

 preceded by a stout broad two-edged spine, similar to that possessed 

 by Aphanopus. This fin is opposite and similar in shape to the 

 second dorsal. The first ray is weak, but appears to be a simple 

 spine ; and the last ray is somewhat prolonged. The pectoral fins 

 are pointed, and inserted below the middle of the height. The ven- 

 tral fins are thoracic, being placed close together a little behind the 

 pectoral fins ; they are small, being only equal to one-eleventh of the 

 head, but consist of a spine, which is stout below and slender above, 

 and four soft rays connected by membrane. The ray next to the 

 spine is the longest. The caudal fin is well developed and deeply 

 cleft ; its rays are very broad below. 



The unarmed lateral line falls gently from the shoulder to the 

 middle of the body, whence it is horizontal to the caudal fin. The 

 tail has no keel, and is not depressed behind the second dorsal. 

 There is no barbel nor any prominent papilla near the vent. 



The body of the fish is uniformly lead-coloured, with black fins ; 

 its skin, when the scales have been removed, is black. 



The peritoneum is black ; the stomach long and simple ; the in- 

 testinal tube straight. There are about eight pyloric caeca, and a 

 long narrow air-bladder with thin walls. 



Only a single specimen has occurred, and this was taken in the 

 month of April last. It had a length of 36^ inches, a height at the 

 ventral fins of 2 T 8 „ inches, and a thickness at the same place of 

 1 T 3 ^ inch. Decidedly Trichiuroid as it is, it differs from all the genera 

 of that family hitherto known, and a new genus must be established 

 for its reception. From Aphanopus, with which it agrees in having 

 a dagger-shaped spine behind the vent, it differs in being possessed 

 of scales and ventral fins ; from Lepidopus it is distinguished by 

 having two dorsals and scales, and by the absence of teeth from the 

 palatine bones ; from Trichiurus by having two dorsal fins, a well- 

 developed caudal fin, and many-rayed ventral fins ; from Epinnula 

 by having a single lateral line, and by the separation of the dorsal 

 fins ; from Thyrsites by having no teeth on the palatine bones, and 

 by the separation of the dorsal fins ; from Dicrotus in having scales 

 and many-rayed ventrals ; and from Gempylus by the presence of 

 scales and the absence of finlets. Moreover in the two known species 

 of the last-named genus each ventral fin is represented by a spine. 

 From the SphyrcenidcE, it may be mentioned in passing, it differs by 

 the ventral fins being thoracic, and by the proximity of the dorsal fins. 



The following are the dimensions in inches of the principal parts 

 of the specimen, which has been added to the collection of fishes at 

 the British Museum : — 



Length of head 7j^ 



Eyes, diameter y* - 



, distance apart ^ 



, distance from tip of snout A\ 



* The membrane connecting the last four or five rays of the second dorsal and 

 the last five or six rays of the anal fin is much torn in the specimen. In an older 

 fish they might possibly form detached finlets, the structure of the rays bearing 

 much resemblance to those of the finlets possessed by some Trichiuroid genera. 



