114 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish A cademy. 



the operculum). In the alhed species, L. Bairclii, it is figured as sloping 

 bacliwards from the long axis at a slightly acute angle. 



Dorsal profile of body rising rapidly from the back of the head to the 

 first dorsal, the proportion of height of body to thickness being about 7 : 4. 



Extremity of tail very slender and thread-like, rarely found complete. 

 The largest apparently complete specimen measured 240 cm., and gave a 

 proportion of head to total length of 100 : 730. 



Body scales (I'l, VII, fig. 5) of medium size, tlie exposed portion being 

 completely covered with small, broad, flatlened, lancet-shaped, imbricating 

 spinules, wliich project beyond the posterior margin of the scale. 'Ihere are 

 eiglit scales in a transverse series between the first dorsal and the lateral 

 line, and about fourteen, often irregularly arranged, between the lateral line 

 and the anus. 



Fin rays : 1st Dorsal, II + (8-10). Pectoral, 17. Ventral, 8. 



First dorsal fin large, the first spinous ray consisting of a stout but short 

 spine, which projects visibly from the skin. Second ray very strongly 

 serrulate, slightly longer than the head. 



The distance between first and second dorsal fins shows wide variation, 

 but is usually more than half the length of the head, being, apparently, 

 greatest in large specimens, possibly on account of injury to the anterior 

 rays of the second dorsal. 



First ray of ventral fin elongated and filamentous, usually broken,- but* 

 reaching, when complete, to at least the fifth ray of the anal fin. 



Colour on the anterior and lateral j^art of the head and the caudal region 

 dull silvery-grey. Trunk deep indigo, darkening ventrally into blue- black, 

 which extends to the under-surface of the head. Antero-siiperior part of the 

 first dorsal black. 



The following measurements are taken from specimens trawled by the 

 Helga :— 



Total length, 



Length of head. 



Length of snout. 



Eye, Tertical diameter. 



Eye, horizontal diameter, .. 



Greatest height of body, .. 



Greatest width of body, . . 



Inter-orbital width. 



Tip of snout to 1st dorsal. 



cm. 



cm. 



cm. 



L9-3 + a; 



24-0 



25^5+a; 



2-9 



3-3 



4-1 



■75 



•75 



1-0 



•95 



1-0 



1-2 



1-05 



1.2 



1^4 



— 



3-0 



4^3 



— 



1-7 



2^4 



•6 



•75 



■85 



3-6 



4-2 



5-2 



