134 



PORCUPINE ACANTHICUS. 



sides, and on the latter assume tlie arrangement of 

 three Hnes running along the centre of the plates ; 

 two lines also appear on the dorsal aspect between 

 the dorsal fin and the tail, which diverge at the in- 

 sertion of that organ upon its sides. A similar 

 arrangement takes place on the lower side of the 

 body, which causes the lateral view of the caudal 

 extremity before its insertion, or the commencement 

 of the fin, to appear as having five rows of spines. 

 On the abdomen the spines or studs are distributed 

 in insulated parcels of from four to ten or twelve in 

 number. The spines of the opercular tufts are at 

 the longest part about an inch long, shorter on 

 the lower and frontal aspect, and bending slightly 

 downwards. The first ray of all the fins is very 

 broad and strong, and these organs are very con- 

 siderably developed. The tail exhibits none of the 

 lengthened or filiform appearance represented in the 

 figure in the Brazilian fishes, of which we add a 

 reduced copy, but the outer ray of the lower lobe is 





rather lenothened, as we shall see is frequently the 



