THE BEAKED SALMON 



2855 



The small fish (Pantodon buchholzi\ represented in the upper figure 

 Chisel Jaw , ., ,. 



of the cut on p. 2854, was discovered not very many years ago in the 



rivers on the west coast of Africa, and takes its name from the strong dental 

 armature of the jaws. Remarkably like a cyprinodont in external appearance, this 

 fish has the body covered with relatively large scales, and the sides of the head 

 with bony plates; the margin of the upper jaw being formed in front by the united 

 premaxillse, and at the sides by the maxjllae. The short dorsal fin is situated still 

 further back than in the last genus, its front margin being considerably behind that 

 of the rather longer anal; both the pectoral and pelvic fins are very tall, the rays of 

 the latter forming isolated filaments, and the caudal is long and pointed, with some 

 of its rays projecting. The muzzle is blunt, and the cleft of the mouth directed 

 upward. In the gill cover there is only an opercular and a preopercular bone, the 

 gill openings are wide, and the branchiostegal rays are numerous. False gills are 

 absent; the air bladder is simple; and the ovaries of the female, and the correspond- 

 ing organs of the opposite sex, are furnished with a duct. 



THE BEAKED SALMON Family GONORHTNCHID^E 



A third fish of the present section, constituting a family by itself, is the so- 

 called beaked salmon (Gonorhynckus greyi} from the seas of the Cape, Japan, and 

 Australia. Agreeing with the two preceding families in the absence of a fatty fin 

 this fish differs in having barbels to the mouth, while in the tail there is no true 

 caudal vertebra.' Both the head and body are completely covered with scales, of 



BEAKED SALMON. 



(One-third natural size) 



which the free edges are spinose; and the margin of the upper jaw is formed entirely 

 by the short premaxillae, which are continued downward over the maxilla. The 

 short dorsal fin is situated far back on the body, above the pelvic pair, the still 

 shorter anal having a more posterior position; and the tail fin is slightly forked. 

 The gill openings are narrow, the air bladder is wanting, and the stomach simple. 



