situated near extremity of the tail ; one dorsal fin, occupy- 

 ing the whole length of the back, composed of flexible rays, 

 which do not show either articulated joints or branches ; 

 anal short ; caudal in the longitudinal axis of the fish ; 

 ventrals thoracic; gill openi gwide; bran chiostegals six ; 

 gills four; pseudobranchiae ; muscles coherent. 



1. LOPHOTES. 



LoPHOTES, Giorna, Mem. Acad. Torino, IX., 1803, p. 19. 

 Cuv. Regne An. 

 Head elevated into a very high crest, at the anterior 

 extremity of which the dorsal fin commences ; the vent is 

 situated near the extremity of the tail ; a small anal fin 

 behind it ; ventrals and caudal small, the former tJioracic ; 

 mouth protractile, subvertical ; teeth in the jaws, on the 

 vomer, and on the palate ; air bladder present. 



LoPHOTES GUNTHEEI (u. S.) 



B. 6. D. 221-36. A ^. P. 14. V. }. C. 15. 



The height of the body is contained 5|- times in the total 

 length, and the length of the head 8J times ; eye very large. 

 The first spine, in the specimen being described, had been 

 broken off close to the anterior j^oint of elevated soft crest, 

 and is somewhat compressed and moderately strong. The 

 rays of dorsal immediately over the eye are about J inch in 

 length, gradually increasing to 2J inches long behind the 

 extremity of pectoral, and from thence gradually diminishing 

 towards a point measuring 1~ inches from extremity of 

 caudal fin, where a second rudimentary series of about 36 

 rays connects the principal series with the caudal fin ; caudal 

 fin composed of 14 rays unsymmetrical, and terminals bend- 

 ing slightly upwards ; anal fin small, measuring | inch 

 long, and | inch deep ; the first six rays are simple ; 

 ventral i, rudimentary, scarcely i inch long ; fins pinkish- 

 yellow ; sides uniformly silveiy, with reticulated markings 

 resembling scales — 208 series longitudinally, and 65 trans- 

 versely. 



The above singular fish is closely allied to the ribbon fish 

 family. It was caught recently on the North- West Coast, 

 near Emu I^"y, and subsequently presented to the Fisheries 

 Exhibition ■ )mmission by Mr. John Swan. Dr. Gunther 

 states that 1 ' o fishes of this family are of very rare occur- 

 rence, and hiilierto only known to exist in the seas of Japan 

 and Mediterranean. Only one species, Lophotes Cepedianus, 

 Giorna, is described in Dr. Gunther's Cat. of the Fishes of 

 the British Museum. The Japanese species, Lojohotes Capelleij 

 Schleg., is stated by the same authority to be doubtfully 

 distinct from L. Cepedianus, of the Mediterranean. It is of 

 great interest to find a representative of this singular family 



