94 SCLENIDJE. 



It differs, however, in having the tongue and the whole of 

 the roof of the mouth quite smooth. The head is also 

 shorter, and more rounded in form than that of the Basse. 

 The mouth is furnished with one row of distinctly separated 

 teeth in each jaw, pointed and curved, with a few smaller 

 ones among those of the lower jaw, and a row of smaller ones 

 behind those of the upper jaw ; the eye placed high up on 

 the head, distant about two of its own diameters from the 

 end of the nose ; and the nostrils pierced in a line between 

 these two points, but nearer the eye. In both the specimens 

 I had opportunities of examining, the serrations of the pre- 

 operculum were nearly obliterated, probably by age : the fin- 

 rays were in number 



D. 9 1 + 27 : P. 16 : V. 1 + 5 : A. 1 + 8 : C. 17 ; 



but the membranes of the fins and the tail were very much 

 worn : the lateral line is parallel to the line of the back 

 throughout its length. When quite fresh, the colour of the 

 body is a uniform greyish silver, slightly inclining to brown 

 on the back, and lightest on the belly ; but after keeping 

 some days, the whole body became much darker. All the 

 fins were reddish brown ; the first dorsal, the pectoral, and 

 ventral fins, rather more red than the others. The swim- 

 ming-bladder in this species is peculiar, being fringed all 

 round its edge. The figure of it here added is from the 

 work of Cuvier and Valenciennes, before referred to. 



