486 APPENDIX. 



CRISTICEPS AXILLARIS.— Richardson. 



Cu. Spec. — C. pinnis intaminatis ; maculd argentatd post os 

 maxillare, altera in summd gend pone oculum et tertid majori 

 in axilld pectorali ; lined laterali argenteo-punctatd. — Radii. 

 B.6; D. 3 1—28 | 7; A. 2 (25; C. 11; P. 11 ; V. 1 | 2. 



Plate 1./. 1,2, 3. 



This singularly delicate and clear looking fish has, after long 

 immersion in spirits, a pale flesh colour, with transparent and 

 spotless fins, A bright silvery streak descends from the 

 angle of the preorbitar to the corner of the mouth, where it 

 dilates a little. A speck of the same colour exists within 

 the upper limb of the preoperculum, and immediately behind 

 the pectoral fin there is a large oblong one. The little tubes 

 forming the lateral line are also silvery. It is with much doubt 

 that I name this species as distinct from the C. australis of the 

 Sistoire des Poissons, but there some points in M.Valenciennes' 

 description of that fish which I cannot reconcile with the 

 specimen now under consideration. And first, with respect to 

 scales, M. Valenciennes states that he could detect none in 

 australis, but in axillaris there are minute round scales, lying 

 rather wide of each other, each having central unibo and lines 

 radiating from it to the circumference. These scales are not 

 easily seen while the skin continues moist, but become apparent 

 as it dries, and are most numerous towards the tail. The 

 head of axillaris is scaleless, and a row of pores runs along 

 the lower jaw, up the preoperculum, and along the te; iporal 

 groove. The eye is also encircled by similar pores. The 

 muscular fibres shine through the delicate skin as in australis, 

 .and the teeth on the jaws and vomer appear to be similar. 

 On comparing the specimen of axillaris with the figure of 

 australis in the Histoire des Poissons, the second dorsal does not 

 appear undulated as in the latter, but the spinous rays increase 

 gradually in height from the first, and the anterior dorsal is 



