450 Mr. J. W. Davis on a new 
coated with ganoine, their surface ornamented with vermi- 
culate ridges. 
The surface of the body is covered with thickly-enamelled 
rhomboidal scales ; the scales along the lateral line are larger 
than those above or below, and largest near the head, where the 
height of each scale is double the breadth; nearer the tail the 
scales are more nearly equilateral. They are arranged in 
rows, with a slightly sigmoidal curvature backwards from the 
dorsal towards the ventral surface of the fish. The number 
of scales in each row varies from twenty-eight in the deepest 
part of the fish to fourteen near the caudal extremity. Along 
the flank, on each side of the lateral line, the scales are also 
arranged in rows antero-posteriorly ; but this does not hold 
good for more than four or five rows, the arrangement towards 
both the dorsal and the ventral aspect being more or less 
indeterminate. Dorsally the scales are smaller, but in front 
of the dorsal fin they are higher than broad; on the ventral 
portion they are broader than the median ones, the height 
being only about one third the breadth. The posterior mar- 
gin of each scale is finely serrated, as represented in Pl. XVI. 
fig. la. The surface in the large majority is smooth; a 
few scales nearest the head are slightly striated with minute 
furrows. The posterior margin of the scales becomes gradually 
less serrated towards the caudal extremity, and those behind 
the anal fin are devoid of serrations and quite smooth. ‘The 
body-scales extend 1 inch beyond the fork of the tail over its 
upper lobe; they are irregular in form; those in contact 
with the fin-rays are much elongated. 
The dorsal jin is absent, and there is nothing to indicate 
its exact position. ‘The pectoral jins are both preserved in 
this specimen ; they are large, a little more than 1:2 inch 
in length. There are twenty rays in each, which for a 
distance of 5 inch remain simple and unarticulated ; beyond 
that distance the rays bifureate, and in several instances, if 
not in all, the bifurcations dichotomize towards the outer 
margin of the fin. The bifurcated rays are composed of 
numerous joints, divided by transverse articulations. ‘The 
anterior rays of the fin are the longest and the strongest ; 
there is no appearance of fulcral rays. The ventral fins are 
situated 1°7 inch behind the pectoral fins. In this speei- 
men the fin is folded and extends along the side of the 
fish; it is ‘9 inch in length. The anterior rays are very 
strong, and at the base a number of large black enamelled 
fulcra are situated. The anal fin is situated 1°5 inch in 
front of the tail; it is larger than the pectoral or ventral fins, 
being 1°3 inch in length. The anterior rays are the longest 
