296 ACCOUNT OF A RIBBON FISH 
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, dc. ; the flesh is 
white and fine. 
Internal examination.—On opening the fish, the abdominal 
cavity, Pl. 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 cesophagus, Pl. IT. figs. 2 & 3a, at first slightly funnel- 
shaped, soon assumes a diameter of one inch, and then forms a 
gradually increasing tube as far as the coming off of the duode- 
num 233 in. below the orifice, where it measures 24 in. in diameter. 
Nothing like any cardia or line of demarcation between the 
cesophagus and stomach exists in this tract. The duodenum 
comes off abruptly as a short tube Id in. in diameter, inclining 
forwards from the under surface of the stomach. The stomach, 
fig. 3 6, 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 1Jin. 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 
