SILVERY HAIRTAIL. 187 



the face and crown flat, sides of the head vertical ; the 

 eye placed high up near the line of the profile, the posterior 

 edge of the orbit dividing the length of the head, the di- 

 ameter one-sixth of the whole head ; nostril oval, and near 

 the anterior edge of the orbit : the mouth furnished with a 

 single row of about fifteen teeth on each side of each jaw, 

 compressed, cutting, and pointed ; of which those towards 

 the front are the smallest, except that there are two on each 

 side of the upper jaw long and curved with a slight barb, 

 and two or three rather longer than the others on the lower 

 jaw : the vomer is without teeth, but the palatine bones 

 have each a row of very minute teeth, more easily felt than 

 seen ; tongue long, pointed, free, and perfectly smooth : 

 the edge of the preoperculum forms a half-circle. 



The pectoral fin is small, not so long as the body of the 

 fish is deep, the second and third rays the longest, eleven 

 rays in all ; no vestige of ventrals : the dorsal fin commences 

 on a line with the superior angle of the operculum, the rays 

 uniform in height throughout the greater part of its length, 

 diminishing towards the end : the anal orifice at one-third of 

 the length of the fish from the head ; behind it are numerous 

 small spiny points, to the number of one hundred and fifteen, 

 or one hundred and eighteen. No scales on the body visi- 

 ble ; the skin covered with a delicate silvery membrane : the 

 lateral line, commencing at the upper edge of the operculum, 

 descends to the line of the lower third of the body, and 

 follows that parallel to its termination. 



The colour of the fish a bright and shining silver : the fins 

 - greyish yellow ; the edge of the dorsal speckled with black, 

 forming a spot between the first rays : the irides golden. 



