Mr. J. Y. Johnson on new Fishes from Madeira. 313 

 PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Jan. 13, 1863.— George Busk, Esq., F.R.S., in the Chair. 



Descriptions of Five New Species of Fishes obtained at 

 Madeira. By James Yate Johnson, Cork. Mem. Z. S. 



Fam. Scombrid^. 



Brama pkinceps, sp. n. 



D. 5.27-33. P. 20. V. 1.5. A. 3.26. C. iv. 15. iv. M. B. 7. 



Body oval, compressed, and elevated, the height compared with 

 the length being as 1 to 2\ or 2f . It is of a blackish-grey colour, 

 beautifully reflecting white and iridescent hues. A coppery lustre 

 is reflected in certain lights from the sides of the body and the head. 

 The hinder portion (black) of the body is covered with large striated 

 scales ; those on the head have finely pectinated edges, those on the 

 body have simple borders. Between and in front of the eyes the 

 head is scaleless. 



The head is short and abrupt ; its length to that of the whole fish 

 is as 1 to 2f . The eye is vertically oval ; the pupil a pale grey, the 

 iris a dark brown. It is contained about 4^- times in the head, and 

 is removed from the muzzle by a space equal to about 1^ times its 

 longer axis. Above it there is a space equal to \^ times its longer 

 axis, and below it a space equal to twice that axis. There is only 

 one opening on each side to the pituitary sac, and that is small and 

 transversely oval. The mouth-cleft is small and subvertical ; the 

 under jaw rather longer than the upper. The superior border of 

 the mouth is formed by the narrow premaxillary, much of which, 

 when the mouth is closed, passes underneath the maxillary. The 

 latter is much dilated below, and its exposed portion is triangular. 

 It reaches back to the vertical from the middle of the eye. There 

 are small scales on the premaxillary, and large ones on the maxillaiy. 

 There is a broad band of small, conical, slightly curved teeth, nar- 

 rowing backwards in each jaw, the innermost row being slightly 

 longer. There is also a narrow band of small teeth on the palatines ; 

 but the vomer and tongue are unarmed. The tongue is broad, fleshy, 

 and black. Inside the teeth in each jaw there is a black flap ex- 

 tending from one side of the mouth to the other. The opercular 

 pieces are clothed with scales, and their margins are unarmed and 

 rounded. 



The long dorsal fin is very high and falcate in front, this portion 

 being covered with small scales. The fin is low behind, and near its 

 termination the broadly expanded apices of the rays project beyond 

 the membrane. The length of the fin, compared with the total 

 length of the fish, is as 1 to 2\. The pectoral fins are long, pointed, 

 and subfalcate, and they reach back as far as the middle of the dorsal 

 fin. The base is clothed with small scales ; and in the axil there is 

 a membrane bearing eight or nine scales, which connects the upper 



Ann. i^ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol.xxi. 21 



