14 FOSSIL FISHES OF THE ENGLISH CHALK. 



foi' slime-cavities ; cleft of mouth little ol)li([ue, and jaws with minute clustered 

 teeth ; orbit small or of moderate size ; preoperculum without 'spine, only serrated ; 

 operculum produced into two short and broad spines at its hinder margin. Verte- 

 brae about 10 in the abdominal, 14 in the caudal region. Pelvic fins arising below 

 or someAvhat behind the origin of the pectorals, with one stout spine and G to 8 

 divided rajs. Dorsal fin much extended, its anterior half consisting of 5 to 9 stout 

 spines, not closely pressed together ; anal fin comparatively short, with 8 to 5 stout 

 spines, not closely pressed together ; caudal fin more or less forked. Scales 

 pectinated, rather large, and none much enlarged or thickened ; lateral line forming 

 a conspicuous discontinuous ridge. 



Tiipe Species. — HopIoptei-y,r ((iifl(jinis (Agassiz, torn, cif., p. 131, pi. xvii, figs. 

 — 8) from the Senonian of Westphalia. 



lu'iiiaii'!<. — The species of this genus from the English Chalk have commonly 



'-^^ 





Fig. .3. Beryx splcndens, Lowe ; iimch reduced from nat. size. — Existing in deep sea. After 

 Goode and Bean. 



been referred to the surviving genus BerijA'. They are indeed characterised by a 

 peculiarly ridged skull with slime-cavities disposed almost as in Bevii.v (Text-fig. 5). 

 Ho'plopteriix, however, is clearly distinguished from the latter by its much smaller 

 eye, the greater extent of the spinous portion of its dorsal fin, and the less extent 

 of its anal fin. The differences Avill be readily appreciated on coni])aring the 

 accompanying Text-fig. 3 with Text-fig. 4 opposite. 



1. Hoplopteryx lewesiensis (Mautell). Plate III; Plate IV, fig. 1; Plate VII, 

 fig. 1 ; Text-figs. 4, 5 b. 



1822. Zeus lewesiensis, G. A. Mantell, Foss. S. Downs, p. 234, pis. xxxv, xxxvi. 



1835-30. Beryx ornatus, L. Agassiz, Poiss. Foss., Feuill., p. 55, and vol. iv, p. 115, pi. xiv a, pi. xiv b, 

 figs. 1, 2, pi. xivc, figs. 1, 8-6 (lion fis:. 2), pi. xiv fZ (exc. fig. 2). 



