taken off the coast of Northumberland. 7 



straight spines, stated by the fishermen to have been 7 or 8 inches 

 long and as if broken at the end, and furnished along the pos- 

 terior edge with a delicate membrane about half an inch broad. 

 When we saw them they were about 4 in. long, and the mem- 

 brane was distinctly visible at their bases. These spines, which 

 at their root measure about ^ in. in diameter, project from each 

 side of the ventral ridge immediately behind the pectoral fins, 

 are inclined backwards, and capable of a limited lateral and back- 

 ward motion. We are assured by a gentleman who witnessed 

 the landing of the fish, that these spines were bright crimson 

 and resembling the feelers of a boiled lobster ; hence we conclude 

 that they must have been originally flexible towards the end, 

 and much longer than 7 or 8 in. as stated by the fishermen. The 

 same gentleman says that the rays of the dorsal crest were sim- 

 ple and unbordered by a membrane. 



The whole fish is remarkably delicate and tender, and easily 

 broken when bent laterally, as shown by the injuries it has sus- 

 tained by being lifted in and out of the boat, &c. ; the flesh is 

 white and fine. 



Internal examination. — On opening the fish, the abdominal 

 cavity, PI. II. fig. 2, is found to be small, and the eye is at once 

 arrested by the bright pale orange vermilion colour of the liver, 

 the rest of the viscera presenting no peculiarity of tint. 



The oesophagus, PI. II. figs. 2 & 3 a, at first slightly funnel- 

 shaped, soon assumes a diameter of 1 inch, and then forms a gra- 

 dually increasing tube as far as the coming off of the duodenum 

 23| in. below the orifice, where it measures 2|- in. in diameter. 



Nothing like any cardia or line of demarcation between the 

 oesophagus and stomach exists in this tract. The duodenum 

 comes off abruptly as a short tube 1^ in. in diameter, inclining 

 forwards from the under surface of the stomach. The stomach, 

 fig. 3 b, is continued on beyond the duodenum as a straight 

 tube, gradually diminishing in diameter towards the posterior 

 end of the fish, measuring an inch across opposite the anus. At 

 this point it has the rectum or intestine lying below it, the ovaria 

 and ureter above, the oviduct and ureter running down to the 

 anus on its right side. 



It is slightly contracted opposite to the anus, and a little be- 

 yond this enters a canal among the muscles, a continuation of 

 the abdominal cavity, situated at about 1| in. from the ventral 

 margin and with tendinous walls, to which it is pretty firmly 

 adherent throughout. It is enlarged slightly after entering the 

 canal, and then diminishes gradually from the diameter of rather 

 more than an inch to the size of a crowquill. It can be traced 

 backwards to within 1 ft. 8 in. of the caudal end of the fish, 

 gradually approaching the ventral border and terminating in a 



