1862.] OF FISHES FROM MADEIRA. 1/5 



of that family hitherto known, and a new genus must be estabUshed 

 for its reception. From Aphanopus, with which it agrees in having 

 a dagger-shaped spine behind the vent, it diflFers in being possessed 

 of scales and ventral fins ; from Lepidopus it is distinguished by 

 having two dorsals and scales, and by the absence of teeth from the 

 palatine bones ; from Trichiurus by having two dorsal fins, a well- 

 developed caudal fin, and many-rayed ventral fins ; from Epinnula 

 by having a single lateral line, and by the separation of the dorsal 

 fins ; from Thyrsites by having no teeth on the palatine bones, and 

 by the separation of the dorsal fins ; from Dia-otus in having scales 

 and many-rayed ventrals ; and from Gempylus by the presence of 

 scales and the absence of finlets. Moreover in the two known species 

 of the last-named genus each ventral fin is represented by a spine. 

 From the Sphyrcsnidce, it may be mentioned in passing, it differs by 

 the ventral fins being thoracic, and by the proximity of the dorsal 

 fins. 



The following are the dimensions in inches of the principal parts 

 of the specimen, which has been added to the collection of fishes at 

 the British Museum : — 



Length of head 7^ 



Eyes, diameter yo 



, distance apart i^o 



, distance from tip of snout 4^ 



Upper jaw bones, length 3y\ 



First dorsal, distance from tip of snout 6^ 



, length of base 16| 



, highest spines 1 1 



, interval between first and second 



dorsal 1-^ 



Second dorsal, length of base 6 



, length of fourth and fifth rays . . 2^ 



Pectorals, length 3 



, width of base i 



, distance from snout 7g 



Ventrals, length Yo 



Vent, distance of its vertical from tip of man- 

 dible 24 



, distance from anal 1 



Spine before anal, length y\) 



Caudal, length of external rays , 5^ 



Fam. ScoMBRiD^. 



SCHEDOPHILUS ELONGATUS, Sp. U. . 



D. 39. A.|. p. 21. V. 1^. C. iii. 9-t-7. iv. M. B. 7. 



Uniformly purplish black, somewhat paler on the belly. The 

 body is elliptico-oblong and much compressed, the height, compared 

 with the total length, being as 1 to 4^, and the length of the head 

 to the total length as 1 to 5 . 



