340 bones of lophius piscatokius — morrow. 



On the Bones of " Lophius Piscatorius," — Angler Fish, 

 Devil Fish, Goose Fish, &c, &c. 



(Read \Uh FeVy. and 8th May, 1882.) 



1. Beginning with the frontal bone. You will notice that in 

 this fish it is divided by a serrated suture into two parts, each 

 having on its outer edge a peculiar dentated margin ; looking at 

 the two parts as one bone, its central upper surface is depressed, 

 and at about two-thirds of the length from the anterior ends it 

 has two so-called spines on each outer edge. 



2. The prefrontals of this fish, when compared with those of 

 the Cod, have the appearance of being reversed, the side which 

 is down in the Lophius appears to be uppermost in the Cod, this 

 is in consequence of the attachment of the palatine bone to the 

 anterior edge of the prefrontal, so that the palatine bone, with its 

 teeth, follows nearly the line of curvature of the premaxillary. 

 The long arms of the prefrontals are attached to the frontals un- 

 derneath their outer anterior margins, and are largely supple- 

 mented with fibro- cartilage, extending between the anterior forks 

 of the frontals. 



3. The ethmoid is absent. 



4. Post-frontals — each has upon it two short spines, and on 

 its outer edge, between the spines, two depressions, the anterior 

 the largest, and on its under side, at about the middle of the 

 anterior depression, the bone forms an angular ridge, above the 

 anterior edge, and in advance of which lies the orbitosphenoid. 



5. The basioccipital, at its under posterior extremity, is wide, 

 owing to the presence of thin bony plates for its attachment to 

 the exoccipitals, and is somewhat contracted at its anterior ex- 

 tremity. 



6. The basisphenoid is a much broader bone than that of the 

 Cod, and has upon its lower side two arms projecting upwards 

 and posteriorly, the wings being attached to these arms, and 

 reaching nearly to the anterior extremity of the presphenoid. 

 The vomer is inserted in a cavity within the presphenoidal por- 

 tion of this bone. 



A. Between the parietals and the posterior extremities of the 

 frontals, lies a bone somewhat oval in shape and depressed in its 



