316 Zoological Society : — 



lary is toothless, and is much dilated below. It covers the pre- 

 maxillary at the sides, and reaches back to the vertical through the 

 middle of the eye. 



The single dorsal fin extends from the capital crest to the caudal 

 fin, from which it is not easily distinguished. Behind the long bony 

 ray, already mentioned, it is low, the middle portion being higher 

 than the rest. The base is sheathed in transparent membrane, an 

 extension of the skin. The pectoral fins are of moderate size, placed 

 low down, and at a distance from the top of the lower jaw equal to 

 about an eighth of the total length of the fish. The first ray is bony 

 and very strong, but not longer than the rest, which are branched. 

 The ventral fins are very short, and are inserted a little behind the 

 pectoral fins, and only slightly below them. Only five, slender, simple 

 rays were counted in the specimen. The anal fin is low, it is placed 

 far behind, near the caudal fin, and its first three or four rays are 

 short. The vent is placed just before the fin. The tail, behind the 

 anal fin, has parallel margins, and is much compressed. It is low, 

 and its lower edge is finless ; whilst its upper edge carries the poste- 

 rior portion of the dorsal fin. The caudal fin is short, and is not 

 well distinguished from the dorsal fin ; but there seem to be fifteen 

 rays, viz. ten below the lateral line and five above. The lower angle 

 only projects. This fin is not set on obliquely, as in some of the 

 genera of the family. 



The unarmed lateral line descends at an angle of 45° from the 

 angle of the capital crest to behind the eye ; it is then straight along 

 the body to the base of the caudal fin. 



The stomach is csecal, narrow, and tapers downwards. Numerous 

 caeca are attached to the intestine. The intestinal canal is long and 

 straight ; the egg-sac long and forked ; the liver of moderate size. 

 The stomach of the specimen examined contained the much-digested 

 remains of a small fish and a Cephalopod. 



Only a single individual of this curious fish has occurred. The 

 single species of the genus hitherto known, a Mediterranean fish 

 {Lophotes Cepedianus, Giorna), appears to be likewise very rare ; for 

 M. Valenciennes (Hist. Nat. des Poiss. x. 401) says that only three 

 specimens had been examined by naturalists, two of which had been 

 deposited in the Museum at Turin, and the third in the Museum at 

 Paris. In the British Museum are two stuffed specimens and one 

 preserved in spirits. The differences between the Madeiran fish and 

 the Mediterranean fish (as described in the Hist. Nat. des Poiss.), 

 which seem to justify the formation of a new species, are these : — 

 In the latter the height, compared with the length, is said to be as 

 1 to 7 ; and the thickness, compared with the height, as I to 3 ; 

 whereas in the Madeiran fish the height is to the length as 1 to 5j, 

 and the thickness to the height as 1 to 6. Moreover, Valenciennes 

 says the skin is without scales, that its silvery-grey colour is relieved 

 vfith. round spots of pure white, and that all the fins are of a lively 

 rose. Now the skin of the fish here described possesses scales, and 

 the colouring of the body and fins is a uniform grey. I may add 

 that I have examined the fish preserved in spirits at the British 



