new Genus of Tdeostean Fish. 2G9 



nearly eight times iii the total length without the caudal. 

 The head is large, low, and long, contained about Si times in 

 the same stanchird length. 



The snout is very long and depi'essed, about 3 times the 

 diameter of the eye and more than }^ the length of the head. 

 The eyes are lateral, wide apart, small, and deep-set. The 

 intcrorbital space is more than twice the diameter of the eye, 

 nearly flat from side to side, and traversed by two anteriorly 

 converging ridges which enclose a V-shapcd space. The 

 nostrils are slightly nearer to the eye than to the tip of the 

 snout. 



The mouth is very deeply cleft, reaching beyond the eyes. 

 The lower jaw projects beyond the u()per; no barbel. The 

 mucous system of the head is well developed. 



The body is naked except the posterior half or so, which is 

 furnished with minute spiny scales arranged for the most 

 part in rows parallel to the lateral line ; the spinules have a 

 backward inclination. 



The lateral line is single, uninterrupted, very broad, and 

 conspicuous ; it runs from the up])er angle of the gill- 

 opening to the base of the caudal, eurv>.*d slightly downwards, 

 and contains a row of about 41 distinct pores. 



Two separate dorsal fins : the first begins slightly posterior 

 to the vertical through the base of the pectoral, and contains 

 8 slender spines ; the second begins a couple of millimetres 

 behind the first, is much the longer, and contains 27 rays. 

 The anal is equal, opposite aud similar to the second dorsal. 

 Caudal symmetrically forked. Pectorals long (about half 

 the length of the head) and slender, in position nearer the 

 ventral than the dorsal line; all rays branched. Ventrals 

 (I, 5) short (not so long as snout), inserted below the pec- 

 torals, but connected only by ligament with the clavicular 

 arch. 



Vent about 8 mm. in front of where the anal fin begins. 

 No anal papilla; small urogenital papilla behind the vent. 



The jaws are distensible, with four series ofsetiforni teeth, 

 similar in both jaws ; those of the inner rows longest ; all 

 movable aud turned inwards. No vomerine teeth ; a single 

 row of small teeth — depressible backwards — on each ])alatine. 

 Tongue free. Gill-openings very wide, with membranes 

 joined only quite anteriorly. Seven branchiostegals. Gills 

 four; last gill-cleft a foramen merely. Branchial arches 

 weak aud gill-rakers represented by small fixed and fairly 

 numerous teeth similar to those of the mouth. Pseudo- 

 bi'anchiie are present. 



An air-bladder is present, but without an open duct. The 



