336 AKACANTHmi. 



height and is continued to the end of the tail. Pectoral as long as the head 

 excluding the snout. Ventral situated on the throat anterior to the insertion of 

 the pectoral. Anal commences beneath the first third of the pectoral, its rays 

 are longest anteriorly, considerably exceeding those of the second dorsal, and are 

 continued to the end of the tail. No caudal fin. Scales — eight or nine rows 

 between the lateral-line and the base of the first' dorsal fin. The scales are armed 

 with several horizontal and parallel raised lines, ending in spines at the posterior 

 edge of the scale, while in the anterior half of the body they have hairy-like 

 projections. There are 60 longitudinal rows along the upper edge, and 65 

 along the lower edge of the lateral-line. Vent situated on a vertical line below 

 the last ray of the first dorsal fin. Colour — silvery apparently without any 

 markings. 



Hahits. — Of these almost nothing is known, the species residing at considerable 

 depths in the ocean. 



Habitat. — From the coasts of northern and western Norway and Denmark to 

 the Faroes and Shetland Isles. The example figured life size, and which is nearly 

 6 inches in length, was dredged by the " Poroapine " at 500 fathoms depth. A 

 smaller one was taken at 200 fathoms, they came from oiF the Shetland and 

 Faroes. It attains to at least 10 inches in length. 



END OP VOLDME 1. 



LONDON; G. NORMA.V AND SON, rUlMlLKS, HARf SI KLLT, COVLNl GARDEN. 



