6992 Fishes. 



to within three inches of the distal extremity of the fish. The twelve 

 anterior rajs were stated by the captors to have been about fourteen 

 inches long, and furnished with a membrane on their posterior edges, 

 which grew wider upwards, somewhat like a peacock's feather. The 

 ends were broken off, but a continuous membrane connected their 

 bases, and their shafts appeared ragged with the remains of the torn 

 membrane. In addition to these there were 268 other rays whose 

 acute points overtopped the connecting membrane, or 280 dorsal rays 

 in all. About the middle of the fish, where the dorsal rays are highest, 

 excepting those on the head, they measure upwards of three inches 

 and a half, and at the termination of the fin their height has increased 

 to one inch. Behind the termination of the dorsal fin, the edge of the 

 back slopes rapidly downwards to within an inch of the line of the 

 belly, and then forms a rounded point, which is the distal extremity of 

 the fish. Both the upper and under edges of this extremity are very 

 thin, and the fishermen insisted that when they took the fish this part 

 was entire, and that there was no tail-fin whatever. The edges may 

 may be pressed together, and seem to fit. The pectorals are attached 

 low, and contain eleven rays. The ventral fins were represented by a 

 pair of very strong straight spines broken short to the length of four 

 inches, but were said to have been originally twice that length, having 

 even then broken ends ; a membranous edge was visible at their bases. 

 The vertebrae, judging from elevations obscurely seen through the 

 muscles, were reckoned at 110. Fin-ray formula, D. 280, V. 1, P. 11, 

 Vertebrae, 110 ? — Hancock and Emhleton I.e.'''' 



In the foregoing description are many points of similarity to 

 Mr. Jones' fish, but still there are other points in which the two fishes 

 are so decidedly dissimilar that I venture to consider them distinct, 

 and to propose for the Bermudian fish the name of Regalecus Jonesii, 

 as a well-merited tribute to the zeal and industry of the accomplished 

 naturalist who has favoured me with the description. 1 am sure that 

 naturalists will pardon the omission of specific characters, as I could 

 only copy those which Mr. Jones has so admirably given in the pre- 

 ceding paper. The characters I shall notice are differential only. 



Regalecus Jonesii, Newman. 



In Regalecus Jonesii the flexile rays constituting the plume on the 

 crown of the head, with the exception of the three anterior ones, are 

 connected by membrane, and the three which are so connected 

 have lanceolate points. In R. Banksii all these rays are connected 

 by membrane : the first is clavate at the extremity, the second, third 



