14 Mr. R. Walker on the Anatomy of Regalecus. 



till about halfway between it and the anus. It then proceeded 

 pretty straight, but still converging towards the ventral edge as 

 it extended outwards to the posterior end ; at the anus it was 

 2J inches from the margin. The anus was 4 feet 6 inches from 

 the coracoid. The viscera were not particularly examined ; this 

 is the less to be regretted, as the viscera of Regalecus have been 

 already clearly described by Messrs. Hancock and Embleton*. 

 But, on cutting open the fish, the csecal prolongation of the sto- 

 mach was observed to pass behind the anus for the whole length 

 of the portion preserved, and had evidently extended a consider- 

 able way beyond. 



This specimen of Regalecus, like the others that have been 

 found on the British shores, was very tender, and could have 

 been easily broken to pieces ; so much so that, on attempting to 

 draw it out of the pool of water in which it lay, with a common 

 crab-hook, which is quite thick and blunt at the point, the hook 

 went right through it. In fact, the use of the hook had to be 

 dispensed with, in order to preserve entire as much as possible 

 of the fish. 



The internal structure was not further examined at this time. 

 The following description was drawn up from a piece of the fish 

 commencing about 6 inches behind the vent, and extending to 

 20 inches in front of it, and after it had lain eight months in 

 spirits. 



The vertebral column was enclosed by a strong fibrous sheath 

 or membrane, two branches of which proceeded from the upper 

 side of the column to form the neural canal ; they were at first 

 about y\ inch apart, approximating as they ascended, till they 

 finally coalesced about ^ inch above the vertebral column. From 

 this point a single membrane passed vertically up the middle of 

 the body, and enveloped the lower ends of the interneural spines. 

 From this central membrane there were three septa or bands 

 sent outwards on each side, till they became confluent with the 

 corium or inner skin. From the middle of each side of the 

 vertebral column there was another of these aponeurotic septa 

 sent outwards till they joined the skin, and formed a strong 

 connecting-band between it and the vertebral column. 



The hsemal canal was formed by two membranes proceeding 

 from the lower side of the vertebral column, and passing down- 

 wards about f inch, when they coalesced. There was a slight 

 swelling of the membrane at the coalescence, from which a band 

 or septum was sent out on each side to join the skin, and an- 

 other passed vertically downwards for a short distance, when it 

 enlarged considerably immediately above the abdominal cavity. 

 From this enlargement two bands were sent outwards, one on 

 * Ann. Nat. Hist. ser. 2. vol. iv. p. 7 et seq. 



