52 



the outer layer of the bone had been raised or scooped up at different parts, the raised parts 

 terminating by smooth free concave edges. The subopercular bone shows this character in a 

 slighter degree. The suprascapula presents the form of an oval scale-like bone with a longi- 

 tudinal external ridge, from which two strong processes pass forward and diverge, one to arti- 

 culate with the paroccipital and the other with the mastoid ; it is relatively larger than in the 

 Cod. The scapula is a long, thin, spatulate bone. The coracoids are moderately strong, 

 deeply and widely excavated posteriorly, attached below to each other by a ligamentous sym- 

 physis. The epicoracoid consists of two pieces ; one a broad flattened plate, the other an 

 elongated subcompressed styliform bone. 



There is a thin, angulolabial scale-bone, two inches and a half in length and half an inch 

 broad, which articulates with the upper part of the broad posterior truncated end of the 

 maxillary. 



The premaxillaries support a broad band of rasp-teeth, none of which are much larger than 

 the rest : a narrower band of the same kind of teeth is present on the premandibular bones : 

 they are not stronger than those in the upper jaw, and do not diminish in number to two 

 rows at the angles of the mouth. There is a small group of rasp-teeth upon the vomer and 

 upon the fore part of each palatine. 



The anal fin is rather nearer the caudal than the dorsal fin is. The rays of the caudal are 

 supported on a compressed, vertical, bifurcate basis : the upper division supports ten rays, 

 the first being short and spinous ; the lower division supports nine rays, the undermost being 

 short and spinous. The basis of the upper lobe consists of two strong compressed bones 

 (neural spines) ; that of the lower lobe of four strong inferior or haemal spines ; the three 

 anterior of these are detached from the centrums, and articulate to concavities at the under 

 part of the three last centrums ; two of the corresponding spines above are shorter, more 

 slender, and take no part in the support of the caudal fin ; so that a trace of the embryonal 

 heterocercal form of the tail is here preserved : the third inferior spinous support of the 

 caudal fin sends a short strong process upwards, outwards and backwards from each side of 

 its base. 



The neural arch of the atlas is detached from the centrum, as is the last free neural spine 

 of the caudal vertebrae. The parapophyses begin to be developed at the eighth abdominal 

 vertebra, progressively elongate and bend down to the fourteenth, where they unite and bend 

 down to form the haemal canal. The pleurapophyses are articulated to depression on the 

 upper part of the sides of the second to the seventh vertebrae inclusive : in the eighth, ninth, 

 tenth and eleventh vertebrae they are articulate to the upper part of the base of the parapo- 

 physes. The number of caudal vertebrae is 13, exclusive of the coalesced mass supporting 

 the caudal fin rays ; the number of free vertebrae being 26. 



The specimen from which this skeleton was prepared was taken on the coast of New Zea- 

 land, and was 



Presented by Copt. Sir Everard Home, Bart., R.N., F.R.S. 



'. < '">!>') 9'TJ <-;-.. ' . ) 



192. The skull, with part of the dried integuments, of a Sea-perch, of that section 

 of the genus Serranus which Cuvier has called ' Barbieres.' 



i u 



