250 MESSRS. HANCOCK AND HOWSK 



specimens ; they are, however, in a crushed state, but seem to 

 have been broad, flat, and short, and are arched towards each 

 other. From these extend fourteen or fifteen flat and rather 

 delicate brachial rays (c'), the longest of which are near the 

 middle, and measure rather more than one-eighth of an inch 

 in length ; they are articulated with double their number of 

 simple fin-rays, which are composed of numerous joints. 



The ventral fins (d) originate in front of the ventral or tho- 

 racic plates, to be shortly described, and immediately behind the 

 lower extremity of the clavicle, and incline backwards ; they are 

 upwards of half an inch in length, are proportionally narrow, 

 and are sharp pointed ; they have each about fourteen or fifteen 

 rays, which are made up of numerous joints, and are attached 

 to elongated narrow pelvic bones ; but these are too much ob- 

 scured to admit of complete description. The posterior extre- 

 mity, however, is a little enlarged, and appears to have been the 

 articular surface. 



The enlarged part of the anal fin (b) is placed near to the 

 transverse centre of the body. It is about half an inch long, 

 and is triangular, with the extremity pointed, the posterior mar- 

 gin being slightly convex, the anterior straight, or a little con- 

 cave. The base extends nearly as far forwards as the posterior 

 ventral plates, being prolonged in this direction by seven or 

 eight pointed scale-like rays or plates, which diminish in length 

 forwards ; and it is continued backward to the root of the tail 

 as a low fringe (&'), about three-sixteenths of an inch wide, sup- 

 ported by rather distant delicate rays, but whether jointed or 

 not could not be determined. The anterior elongated portion is 

 composed of between twenty and thirty simple jointed rays, the 

 joints being rather long, with the articular extremities slightly 

 enlarged. 



The dorsal fin (a) has a very extraordinary development ; its 

 anterior elongated portion is estimated to be as long as the 

 whole fish minus the tail, and rises up from the dorsal ridge 

 a little in advance of the centre, consequently just in front of 

 the position of the anal fin, in the form of a scimitar slightly 

 bent forwards. It seems to have been in the larger specimens 



