1863.] MARINE FISHES OBTAINED AT MADEIRA. 409 



between the eyes, and two low ridges which meet in front of them. 

 Cheeks flat ; opercle rounded behind, with a notch at the junction 

 of the subopercle and interopercle. Eyes lateral, nearly round, 

 placed about a diameter from the muzzle (in front of the middle of 

 the upper jaw) and about the same distance apart, with the orbit 

 taking part in the profile. The hinder nostril, which is the larger, 

 is placed very near the orbit. Muzzle short, truncate, subemarginate; 

 the under jaw somewhat longer. Mouth-cleft slightly oblique, long, 

 extending much beyond the eyes ; the upper border formed entirely 

 of the slender premaxillary, the toothless maxillary being a little di- 

 lated at the ends. Two series of subulate teeth in each jaw, those of 

 the inner series being longer, but fewer in number. At the fore-end 

 of the upper jaw are two long immoveable hooked teeth, which are 

 inclined towards each other and nearly meet. At the base of each 

 is a minute sharp tooth. Next to the hooked pair is a pair of cur- 

 ving teeth, which cross one another from opposite sides of the mouth ; 

 these are moveable, and are the longest "teeth in the upper jaw. At 

 the fore-end of the lower jaw there is a pair of very small teeth in 

 front of a larger pair of immoveable teeth, which curve outwards. 

 Next to these are two pairs of still longer moveable teeth, the hinder 

 pair being the longest in the mouth. The other jaw-teeth are much 

 smaller. On the palatines there is a series of small pointed teeth, 

 and the middle line of the tongue is serrate. The vomer is promi- 

 nent, but toothless. The tongue is grey, narrow, and free near the 

 tip. There is no barbel, nor are there any pseudobranchise. 



The anterior dorsal fin has eleven weak unbranched rays. It 

 commences over the posterior edge of the opercle ; and its base is 

 rather less than half the length of the head, its height being about 

 the same. The second dorsal fin is separated from the first by a 

 space equal to about one-third the length of the head. It has a 

 trapezoidal shape, and a longer base than the first dorsal. Its height 

 in front is rather more than half the length of the head. The fourth 

 and fifth rays are rather longer than their neighbours. 



The pointed pectoral fins are inserted in a line with the eyes, and 

 reach back to the commencement of the second dorsal fin. 



The thoracic ventral fins are only about half as long as the pec- 

 toral fins ; their apices are truncate, the first ray being the shortest. 

 All the rays are weak, and none are detached. 



The anal fin commences about the middle of the total length of 

 the fish, under the fifth or sixth ray of the second dorsal fin. The 

 length of its base is equal to about two-thirds of the length of the 

 head. It becomes low behind. The first ray is short ; the second 

 only half as long as the third ; the sixth and seventh are the longest. 



The caudal fin is furcate, and equal in length to two-thirds of the 

 length of the head. There are about fourteen principal rays, with 

 a few small ones at each side. 



The lateral line is oblique in the pectoral region, but for the 

 greater part of its length is straight along the middle of the body. 



An air-bladder of moderate size is present. No anal papilla was 

 observed. 



