48 Dr. A. Giinther on a new Species of Corvina. 



organs, seems rather doubtful as to their function. Below these 

 in the scale of nature we meet with no distinct vestiges of urinary- 

 excreting organs ; so if my hypothesis regarding the nature of 

 these above-described bodies be accepted, they will rank as either 

 the first or the second early traces of such glands as yet found 

 in the animal kingdom. 



VII. — Description of a new Species of Corvina from the Gambia. 



By Dr. Albert Gunther. 

 Mr. Moore, Curator of the Liverpool Pree Public Museum, 

 has kindly sent for my inspection a Scisenoid Fish collected by 

 J. Lewis Ingram, Esq., at Bathurst, on the River Gambia, which 

 proves to be an undescribed species of the genus Corvina, for 

 which I propose the name of 



Corvina Moorii. 

 D. 8I2I5. A. 2. L. lat. 64. L. transv. 7/^. 



This species is distinguished by its broad and obtuse head, 

 similar to that of Collichthys. The eye is comparatively small, 

 about one-ninth of the length of the head, and only one-half of 

 the extent of the snout. Interorbital space very broad, convex, 

 its width being one-third of the length of the head. Hind mar- 

 gin of the prseoperculum obliquely descending backwards, with 

 short spinous teeth at the angle and along the margins. Snout 

 very obtuse ; jaws with narrow bands of short cardiform teeth, 

 those of the outer series being much larger and conical. Cleft 

 of the mouth of moderate width, situated at the lower side of 

 the snout, the maxillary extending to behind the hind margin 

 of the orbit. 



The length of the head is more than the depth of the body, 

 and one-fourth of the total length (without caudal). Scales of 

 moderate size, irregularly arranged. Pectoral fin considerably 

 longer than the ventral, as long as the post-orbital part of the 

 head. Dorsal spines of moderate strength, not flexible; the 

 second is the longest, and rather more than half as long as the 

 head ; the soft dorsal fin of moderate height. Caudal fin convex, 

 slightly produced in the middle. The second anal spine strong, 

 two-thirds as long as the first soft ray, and nearly one-third as 

 long as the head. 



Uniform blackish brown, the centre of each scale being lighter ; 

 fins black. 



The specimen is 20 inches long. 



Numerous species of Acanthopterygian fishes, especially from 

 the west coast of Africa, show osseous tumours in some parts of 



