1863.] MR. J. Y.JOHNSON ON NEW FISHES FROM MADEIRA. 41 



Fam. ScoPELiD^. 

 Saurus atlanticus, sp. n. 



1st D. 13. 2nd D. adipose. P. 11. V. 8. A. 9. C. 18. 

 M.B. 16. 



Form of Saurus lacerta, i. e. elongate and cylindrical. The height, 

 compared with the length, is as 1 to 7 nearly. The head, cheeks, 

 and back are of a dull red colour, with irregular patches of bluish 

 purple. The belly is white, as well as the sides, which, however, 

 are variegated with irregular patches of dull red and brownish yel- 

 low, arranged alternately and longitudinally. The rays of the first 

 dorsal fin are spotted with red. The anal fin is blotched with red- 

 dish marks in transverse lines, and with some opaque white marks. 

 The cycloid scales are of moderate size. 



The long, depressed, unarmed head is contained in the total length 

 about 4i times. The space between the eyes is hollowed, and the 

 head behind the eyes is flat and marked with radiating striae. Near 

 the tip of the muzzle there is a shield-shaped depression. There are 

 scales on the cheeks, and the opercle is bordered with a transparent 

 membrane. The eye is nearly round ; its diameter is equal to one- 

 seventh of the head, and it is distant about two diameters from the 

 tip of the muzzle. It is placed rather before the middle of the upper 

 jaw, and the upper part of the orbit forms part of the profile. The 

 space between the eyes is rather less than a diameter. The lower 

 jaw is more pointed than the upper, the upper rather longer than 

 the lower. The rictus is long, being equal to the height of the fish, 

 and extending much beyond the eyes. The upper border of the 

 mouth is formed entirely of the strong and thick dentiferous pre- 

 maxillary, the much weaker maxillary lying behind. Both bones 

 are covered, like the bones of the lower jaw, with a thick scaleless 

 skin. In the lower jaw there are two rows of small slender teeth 

 with hastoid apices ; those of the inner row are larger, they are rather 

 distant from each other ; and in the intervals are set some very shorter 

 teeth of the same shape. All these teeth are directed inwards. In 

 the upper jaw there are also two rows of similarly shaped teeth, which 

 are about equal in size to those of the inner row in the lower jaw. 

 The teeth of the inner row are moveable. On the tongue are several 

 irregular rows of slender teeth, directed backwards. On the palatines 

 are about three rows of acicular moveable teeth, which are more 

 slender than those of the jaws. There are also teeth on the pharyn- 

 geal arches, but none on the vomer. 



The gill-openings are large, and the branchiostegal membrane is 

 supported by sixteen rays on each side. 



'Tha first dorsal fin has a trapezoidal shape, and rises from a shal- 

 low groove posterior to the base of the ventral fins. It is short, and 

 terminates over the middle of the body. The two first rays are un- 

 branched ; the longest rays are the second and third, which neither 

 equal the height of the trunk nor the base of the fin. The minute 

 second dorsal fin is adipose, without rays, and is placed over the 

 middle of the anal fin. The pectoral fins are about one-eleventh of 



