439 



Described from three specimens 143, 283, and 347 mm. 

 long : the smaller, being preserved in formaline and exhibit- 

 ing characters not shown in the larger spirit specimens, is 

 figured. They apparently differ from all described species of 

 Congermuraena in having the dorsal fin originating over the 

 operculum. 



Loc. — Lord Howe Island. 



Family LABRACOGLOSS1DAE. 



Genus Labracoglossa, Peters. 



Labracoglossa nitida, n. sp. 

 PI. xli., fig. 2. 

 D. x. 26-28: A. iii. 23-24: P. 21-22: V. i. 5 ; C. 17 : 

 L. lat. 72-75 : L. tr. 10-11, 19. 



Depth 3'3 in the length to the hypural joint; head 3*9 in 

 the same. Eye slightly longer than the snout, 4'0 in the 

 head. Interorbital width greater than the diameter of the 

 eye, equal to that of the orbit and 3 "2 in the head. Median 

 dorsal spines subequal to the anterior dorsal and anal spines r 

 2'4 in the head. 



Body fusiform, moderately compressed, the upper and 

 lower profiles almost equally convex. Snout rather obtuse; 

 nostrils close together, small, sublateral, placed near the 

 orbital margin. Eye partly covered by a thick adipose lid,, 

 situated in the anterior half of the head. Mouth oblique, 

 the maxillary reaching back to below the anterior portion of 

 the pupil. Preorbital narrow, entire, not covering the 

 maxillary. Preoperculum broadly rounded, the surface of 

 its border striated, the striae forming fine crenulations on its 

 margin. Operculum with a very small spine. 



Teeth. — A single row of short conical teeth in the upper 

 jaw, behind which is a band of microscopic ones anteriorly 

 on each side of the symphysis. Mandible with a band of 

 minute teeth anteriorly, merging into a single series of small 

 stout teeth on the sides. . A large patch of microscopic teeth 

 covers the head of the vomer, from each side of which a 

 narrow band extends backward on the palatines : commencing 

 evenly with the termination of the latter is a very broad, 

 elongate band on each mesopterygoid. Tongue largely covered 

 by a broad patch of similar teeth. Gill-rakers long and 

 slender, about twenty-six on the lower limb of the first arch : 

 the longest two-thirds as long as the snout. 



Scales cover the greater part of the head, extending for- 

 ward to the nostrils : they are present on the cheeks, opercles, 

 and lower jaw, and a few occur on the maxillary. Body 

 covered with rather small, ctenoid scales, which have broad 



