36 DR. A. CARTE ON THE GENUS CHIASMODON. [Jail. 23, 



pled over the surface, those in the situation of the pectoral fins being 

 the largest ; this colour gradually changes to a yellowish tinge on 

 the sides in the region of the lateral line. The body is elongated, 

 slender, and compressed on the sides ; head unarmed, laterally com- 

 pressed, with a shallow but rather wide groove extending between the 

 orbits, bounded by two somewhat bluntish ridges, which meet in 

 front at a point immediately above and between the anterior nostrils ; 

 cheeks flattish ; operculum somewhat triangular or arrow-shaped in 

 outline, with an excavation in its upper and a deep notch in its infe- 

 rior border, the latter being situated between the sub- and inter- 

 opercula. 



The orbits lateral, longitudinally oval in shape, and distant about 

 a diameter and a half from the truncated muzzle, with their pos- 

 terior borders corresponding to the central point of the superior 

 maxilla. 



The anterior pair of nostrils are round and appear the larger, they 

 are situated about midway between the muzzle and the anterior edge 

 of the orbit ; the posterior pair are somewhat triangular, and are 

 placed close to the anterior superior border of the orbit. The head 

 is studded with numerous mucous pores. The muzzle is truncated 

 in front and submarginate, the inferior maxilla extending slightly 

 beyond it. The cleft of the mouth is slightly arched, and long, ex- 

 tending backwards far behind the orbits, the slender and emarginate 

 premaxillaries forming the entire of its upper border. 



In each maxilla there are two rows of irregularly placed subulate 

 teeth, the inner row being the larger, but containing fewer teeth. 

 Thev are arranged as follows : — In the superior maxilla, commencing 

 at the muzzle, there are two long immoveable hooked teeth, with 

 their points directed inwards towards each other, so as almost to 

 meet ; at the base and external side of each of these, a minute sharp 

 denticle is situated ; immediately behind these, but in the inner row, 

 there are two other large moveable hooked teeth, the points of which 

 incline towards each other, but do not touch ; these are the longest 

 teeth in the upper jaw. The sixth tooth, counting backwards on 

 either side from the two long immoveable front teeth, is also a long 

 but moveable tooth, and is inserted on the inner aspect of the supe- 

 rior maxilla at a point a little posterior to the anterior margin of 

 the orbit. The remainder of the" teeth in this jaw are small, and 

 gradually diminish in size as they approach the articulation ; they 

 are implanted irregularly in a double series. 



The teeth in the inferior maxilla are thus arranged : — In front 

 there are a pair of very minute denticles, immediately external to 

 and at the bases of which are two long immoveable teeth with their 

 points curved outwards ; following these are two pairs of still longer 

 moveable teeth, the posterior pair of which are the longest of the 

 whole series. The remainder of the teeth in this jaw, like those in 

 the upper, are small and are implanted irregularly in a double series 

 as far back as the articulation. The palate is furnished with a series 

 of small denticles, and there is a somewhat similar series placed along 

 the central line of the tongue ; this latter organ is long and narrow, 



