FI8HES EMBIOTOCOIDAE ENNICHTHYS MEGALOPS. 197 



even if the other characters were not deemed of a sufficient value. These consist, chiefly, jn the 

 structure of the mouth, the dimension of the eye, the dorsal sheath, and the scales on the base of 

 the caudal. A similar character of scales on the caudal we have observed in Phanerodon, but 

 the distinctive marks between the latter and Ennichthys are so obvious as not to require enu 

 meration here. 



1. ENNICHTHYS MEGALOPS, Grd. 

 PLATE XXXVII, and, PLATE XXVI, Fig. 10. 



SPEC. CHAR. General appearance gibbous. Dorsal sheath very short. Mouth large and oblique. Eyes very large ; circular. 

 Four rows of scales on preopercle. Branchiostegals, six. Eighty-five scales in lateral lino. Ash or greyish-brown above. 

 Sides and abdomen dull yellow, or white. A diffused spot upon anterior third of anal. Other fins yellowish. Tip of pectorals 

 blackish, or deep purple. 



SYK. Holconotus megalops, GRD. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 152. 

 Ennichthys megalops, GRD. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1855, 323. 



The head constitutes the fourth of the total length, not including the forked portion of the 

 caudal fin. Its upper surface is slightly concave, and the snout rather short. The mouth 

 is above the medium size, its cleft obliquely directed upwards, and the lower jaw projecting 

 beyond the upper. The teeth are numerous and very exiguous, disposed upon a double row 

 on both the upper and lower jaws. The posterior extremity of the maxillaries extend 

 somewhat beyond a vertical line intersecting the anterior rim of the eye. The lips are thin, and 

 the lower one is free all around. The nostrils, situated on the upper surface of the snout, are 

 nearer the eye than the extremity of the upper jaw. The eye is very large, circular ; its diameter 

 being contained less than three times in the length of the side of the head, and approxi 

 mating the cephalic outline above. There are six branchiostegal rays on either side, all well 

 developed. The scales on the cheeks and opercle are large and crowded ; the supratympanic 

 patch itself is very conspicuous, and composed of numerous scales. 



The body is very much compressed and very deep upon its middle region, tapering rapidly 

 from the origin of the anal backwards. The greatest depth is contained a little over twice and 

 a half in the total length. 



The spinous portion of the dorsal fin is composed of nine spines, gradually increasing in 

 height from the first to the sixth, which is the highest ; the seventh, eighth, and ninth slightly 

 diminish in size backwards ; the anterior articulated ray being to the ninth spine what the latter 

 is to the eighth spine : thus the upper outline of the dorsal descends almost regularly from the 

 sixth spine to the last articulated ray. The base of the soft portion is more than twice that of 

 the spinous ; the articulated rays are very slender, bifurcating only once towards the exterior 

 third of their height. The base of the anal is contained about four times in the total length ; 

 it is comparatively low, concave upon its middle, and provided anteriorly with three spinous 

 rays, all of which are shorter than any of the articulated rays, which exhibit traces of a division 

 of the second degree. The caudal is slender and forked, contained over five times in the total 

 length, and provided upon its base with small and irregular scales. Divisions of the fourth 

 degree may be observed on some of the longest rays. The insertion of the ventrals is placed a 

 little in advance of a vertical line drawn from the anterior dorsal spine. These fins are broadly 

 developed, rounded externally with highly sub-divided articulated rays upon which a division 



