400 Zoological Sociebj. 



Cuvier, in a note at p. 337 of the ' Regne Animal,' vol.ii, affirms, 

 from " an immediate comparison," the identity of Risso's Lepidole- 

 prus coelorhynchus of the Mediterranean with the Macrourus rupestris 

 of Bloch, which is described and figured by that author with the 

 first ray of the first dorsal fin distinctly serrated in front. Yet Dr. 

 Richardson, in the Proceedings of tlie Zoological Society for 1839, 

 p. 100, speaks of " examples of calorhynchus from the Mediter- 

 ranean and also from Madeira" — meaning, by these latter, my Ma- 

 crourus atlanticus. Proceed. Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 88 ; Trans, iii. p. 15 — 

 " both in the Society's Museum, none" of which " have the first 

 dorsal ray serrated." 



Awaiting, therefore, further definitive information regarding the 

 true L. coelorhynchus of Risso, in reference to this character, I am 

 compelled to give a distinct name to this second Madeiran species of 

 Macrourus, which has the dorsal spine serrated at its fore-edge, but 

 which, by its shorter muzzle and somewhat smaller and rounder eyes, 

 appears, waving the question as to the serrature or non-serrature of 

 the dorsal spine in Risso's fish, to approach even nearer than M. at- 

 lanticus to his L. coelorhynchus. 



A single example only has occurred, which was not seen till it had 

 been partly dried. 



Macrourus l^vis. M. pallidus, grlseus, lucidus, hcvigatus s. exi- 

 lissime areolato-scaber, inermis ; squamis inconspicuis minutis : 

 capite rostroque acuto abbreviatis, simplicibus (nee ccelatis nee ca- 

 rinatis) ; oculis rotundatis ; dentibus in maxilla inferiore validis, 

 uniseriatis : pinnce dorsalis prima radio primo inermi ; ventralium 

 simplici. 



1««» D. 1 + 9 ; 2''=' D. et A. 00 ; P. 15 ; V. 1 -f 7 ; M. B. 7. 



This third Madeiran species of Macrourus is immediately distin- 

 guishable from the other two by its glossy, sleek or apparently naked 

 appearance, caused by the fineness and minuteness of its areolae or 

 scales. It is also a more elongated fish. In the formation and pro- 

 portions of the head, eyes and muzzle it nearly agrees with M. ser- 

 ratus, and it has also the cheeks plain and flat, without the strong 

 sculptured subocular keel which gives so singular and trigloid an 

 aspect to the head of M. atlanticus. 



The only individual which has occurred was sixteen inches long. 



Fam. Ophidiid^. 

 Gen. DiAPHASiA, nob. (^Les Fierasfers, Cuvier.) 

 Diaphasia acus. 



Ophidium fierasfer, Risso, iii. 212. No. 99, 



Les Fierasfers (Ophidium imberbe, L.), Cuv. Reg. Anim. ii. 359. 

 The occurrence in Madeira of a single individual, imposes the ne- 

 cessity of proposing, in lieu of the barbarous vernacular appellation 

 Fierasfer, a name founded on an obvious character, and accordant 

 with the rules of scientific nomenclature. 



Fam. DiodontiDjE. 

 Diodon reticulatus, L. Syn. p. 193. — Erratum. Expunge in the syno- 



