﻿A 
  Fish 
  whose 
  existence 
  has 
  been 
  doubted. 
  71 
  

  

  At 
  the 
  small 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  tail, 
  the 
  section 
  is 
  a 
  regular 
  oval, 
  

   whose 
  height 
  is 
  one-thirteenth 
  of 
  that 
  at 
  the 
  dorsal. 
  G-eneral 
  

   profile 
  or 
  outline 
  of 
  body 
  forming 
  an 
  oblique 
  pentagon. 
  The 
  

   sides 
  of 
  this 
  pentagon 
  are 
  formed 
  respectively 
  by 
  the 
  facial, 
  

   first 
  dorsal, 
  second 
  dorsal, 
  anal, 
  and 
  abdominal 
  regions. 
  The 
  

   summits 
  of 
  the 
  angular 
  figure 
  thus 
  formed 
  will 
  be 
  found 
  near 
  

   the 
  tip 
  of 
  the 
  lower 
  jaw, 
  occiput, 
  base 
  of 
  second 
  dorsal, 
  centre 
  

   of 
  the 
  narrow 
  part 
  of 
  tail, 
  and 
  base 
  of 
  anal. 
  The 
  facial 
  and 
  

   anal 
  regions 
  coincide 
  nearly 
  with 
  the 
  sides 
  of 
  this 
  figure, 
  the 
  

   others 
  curve 
  outwards. 
  Four 
  sides 
  are 
  very 
  nearly 
  equal, 
  the 
  

   first 
  dorsal 
  one 
  being 
  only 
  from 
  I 
  to 
  4 
  of 
  the 
  others. 
  The 
  an- 
  

   gles 
  formed, 
  supposing 
  the 
  sides 
  straight 
  lines, 
  will 
  be 
  83° 
  at 
  

   the 
  snout 
  and 
  caudal 
  ; 
  120°, 
  124°, 
  and 
  130° 
  at 
  the 
  occiput, 
  

   base 
  of 
  second 
  dorsal, 
  and 
  anal, 
  respectively. 
  The 
  above 
  pro- 
  

   portions 
  will 
  serve 
  to 
  reconstruct 
  the 
  outline 
  of 
  the 
  body, 
  the 
  

   three 
  specimens 
  varying 
  very 
  little 
  from 
  each 
  other. 
  To 
  this 
  

   must 
  be 
  added 
  a 
  low 
  first 
  dorsal, 
  with 
  its 
  four 
  anterior 
  spines 
  

   longest, 
  the 
  fin 
  depressible 
  into 
  a 
  furrow, 
  a 
  long 
  filament 
  to 
  the 
  

   second 
  ray 
  of 
  the 
  second 
  dorsal 
  reaching 
  beyond 
  the 
  caudal, 
  

   the 
  next 
  rays 
  decreasing 
  suddenly, 
  and 
  from 
  the 
  seventh 
  to 
  the 
  

   last 
  low 
  and 
  subequal. 
  The 
  anal 
  similar 
  to 
  the 
  second 
  dorsal 
  

   in 
  extent 
  and 
  outline, 
  with 
  a 
  filament 
  only 
  one 
  half 
  or 
  one 
  

   third 
  as 
  long. 
  The 
  caudal 
  deeply 
  forked, 
  with 
  long 
  narrow 
  

   lobes. 
  Pectorals 
  long 
  and 
  falciform. 
  Ventrals 
  exceedingly 
  

   small, 
  short, 
  and 
  delicate. 
  Two 
  low 
  spines 
  between 
  the 
  vent 
  

   and 
  anal. 
  Eyes 
  large, 
  opercles 
  long 
  and 
  narrow, 
  mouth 
  rather 
  

   large, 
  with 
  minute 
  uniform 
  teeth. 
  Scales 
  microscopic, 
  cover- 
  

   ing 
  the 
  body 
  only, 
  and 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  the 
  first 
  few 
  rays 
  of 
  

   the 
  second 
  dorsal 
  and 
  anal. 
  Color 
  : 
  uniform 
  silvery 
  ground, 
  

   with 
  beautifully 
  varied 
  iridescent 
  reflections, 
  and 
  a 
  few 
  

   faint 
  bands 
  below 
  the 
  lateral 
  line, 
  only 
  visible 
  when 
  fresh. 
  

   Base 
  of 
  pectorals, 
  tips 
  of 
  long 
  dorsal, 
  anal, 
  and 
  caudal 
  rays 
  

   dusky. 
  

  

  Size 
  : 
  of 
  three 
  specimens, 
  62, 
  6', 
  and 
  7i 
  inches, 
  or 
  165, 
  171, 
  

  

  