TAKEN OFF THE COAST OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 293. 
which is somewhat sinuous and rather oblique from above down- 
wards and forwards. 
The inferior border is nearly straight, and directed upwards 
and forwards corresponding with the interoperculum. 
The remaining bone, which we take for the interoperculum, is 
narrow and thin, prolonged almost to a point under the jaw and 
widening gradually to its posterior end, which is rounded and 
projects backwards beyond the preoperculum. Its lower border 
is convex and lies almost horizontally. 
These are the only pieces observed as entering into the forma- 
tion of the gill-covers. The above bones are exceedingly deli- 
cate and fragile, and present the radiating lines of development 
with great prominence; the silvery skin covering them is re- 
markable for its delicacy. 
The branchiostegal rays are seven in number; the uppermost 
a broadish plate marked by radiating lines, the rest diminishing 
successively in size, having the ordinary characters of such rays. 
The four branchial arches diminish in size backwards, and the 
pharyngeal is less than the fourth branchial arch. The rays of 
the convexities of the branchial arches are very numerous; the 
concavities of these arches are beset with prominent blunt-pointed 
tubercles which are studded with a number of short sete or 
bristles, sharp-pointed but rather soft, which project inwardg 
towards the pharyngeal cavity. The first branchial arch has in 
addition a row of short pale-coloured rays or plates, the inner 
edges of which are also furnished with sete which project like- 
wise inwards. On the roof of the pharynx are two or three pairs 
of short laminz (pharyngo-branchial) furnished with similarsete, 
pointed backwards and downwards in the direction of the en- 
trance to the esophagus. 
The dorsal fin extends from immediately behind the upper and 
posterior end of the curved frontal profile to within 3 inches of 
the tail of the fish. The anterior part of the fin, more promi- 
nent than the rest, is composed of twelve rays, which were stated 
by the captors to have been 12 or 14 inches in length when the 
fish was taken, and to be each furnished with a membranous ex- 
