320 Zoological Society : — 



abdominal ventral fins are inserted under the anterior part of the 

 first dorsal ; they do not reach quite so far back as the commence- 

 ment of the anal fin. The anal fin is of moderate length ; it com- 

 mences under the middle of the first dorsal fin. On the upper edge 

 of the tail there are eight small sharp spines, followed by two larger 

 spines ; on the lower edge are nine small spines, followed by two 

 larger ones. 



The single example of this fish that has occurred (taken in the 

 month of February) was so much damaged that little can be said 

 about the scales or colour. It appeared, however, to have been 

 nearly black ; but there were no traces of silvery spots on the sides. 

 The muscles abounded with oil. 



It appears to be nearly allied to Scopelus Crocodilus, Valenciennes, 

 who assigns twenty rays to the first dorsal and eighteen rays to the 

 anal fins of that species (H. N. Poiss. xxii. 447). Of that fish it is 

 stated that the eye is contained 3^ times in the head, and that the 

 pectoral fins do not reach to the ventral fins. No dark blotch at the 

 base of the caudal fin was observed in my fish. It would seem to 

 fall into Rafinesque's subgenus Myctophum ; but it is distinguishable 

 from all the four species described and figured in the ' Fauna Italica,' 

 by the greater length of the first dorsal fin, and by the larger number 

 of rays in that fin, which, in the four species referred to, range from 

 twelve to seventeen. 



The following are the dimensions of the example which has been 

 sent to the British Museum : — 



inches. 



Total length 6^ 



Height under first dorsal ^,y 



Thickness \ 



Head 1t^ 



Eye, diameter ^ 



Mouth-cleft, length ^o 



First dorsal, distance from muzzle 2 



> height ^ 



, length of base 1^% 



Pectorals, length T% 



Ventrals, length ^ 



', distance from tip of mandible 2 



Anal, length of base l^- 



, distance from tip of mandible 2-^q 



Caudal, length 1^ 



Neoscopelus, gen. nov. 



Oblong, compressed, covered with large caducous scales. First 

 dorsal fin placed over the abdominal ventral fins. The pectoral fins 

 long ; their inferior rays not thicker than the rest. Mouth-cleft 

 not extending beyond the eyes. The maxillary dilated below, and 

 furnished with a small supplementary piece. The upper border of 

 the mouth formed entirely of the premaxillary. Scobinate bands of 

 teeth in both jaws, on the palatine bones, and on the vomer ; scobi- 



