268 Mr. W. Thompson on a new British Fish. 



greatest, at origin of dorsal fin, 9 lines, or compared with the 

 entire length as 1 to 5 1^ ; thickness more than half the depth, 

 just behind the head 5 lines, the same at the middle, and \ of 

 an inch before the base of the caudal fin 2 lines ; lateral line 

 for ^ of an inch from its origin sloping downwards, thence to 

 its termination straight, and except at the tail, where it is 

 equidistant from each, placed rather nearer the dorsal than 

 the ventral profile ; head 1 1 lines long, or about as 1 to 31 in 

 the entire length ; eye large, placed at the distance of its own 

 diameter from the snout, and occupying | the length of head; 

 upper jaw truncated, lower roundish-oval, and when the mouth 

 is closed projecting \ a line beyond the snout, (in this respect 

 exceeding that of the vendace. Cor. Willoughbigii, Jard.) The 

 only teeth apparent with the aid of a lens are a few placed 

 regularly on both upper and under jaws, none apparent on 

 the tongue or the vomer ; pre-opercle nearly describing the 

 segment of a circle, opercle from the posterior base gradually 

 narrowing upwards. Fins', dorsal originating half-way be- 

 tween extremity of lower jaw and base of caudal ; pectorals 

 pointed, nearly | the length of head, these and the ventrals of 

 about equal length ; the latter commencing in a line with the 

 first quarter of dorsal ; when laid close to the body, the dorsal 

 approaches the tail more nearly than the ventral ; anal distant 

 its own length from the first short ray of caudal ; adipose 

 ending nearly on the same line as the anal. 



D. 15 (1st very short); P. 15*; V. 1 + 11; A. 16 or 17; 

 C. 20 if = Br. 7. 



Scales (judging merely from their impressions, they having 

 been rubbed off) about 85 on the lateral line, 10 ? from it to 

 the origin of the dorsal fin ; and 12? from it to the ventral 

 profile : the scales not being always precisely defined, the num- 

 bers cannot be accurately determined. 



Colour (in spirits), bluish black along the back, thence 

 olive to the lateral line, where it becomes somewhat silvery, 

 and beneath it of a bright silver to near the base, where a 

 gloss appears as if when recent it had been tinged with pink ; 

 belly opake white, slightly tinged with silver anteriorly, oper- 



* This number appears in both fins, which are somewhat injured. 



