48 PHYSOSTOMI. 



upwards. The interorbital space very narrow, 1 diameter distance from the end 

 of the snout, and a like distance from the posterior end of the head. Posterior 

 inferior angle of preopercle, with two triangular spines, the upper directed 

 backwards, the lower downwards. Cleft of mouth deep, the lower jaw projecting 

 beyond the upper, and the posterior angle of the maxilla armed with a triangular 

 spine. Gill-rakers — very long. Teeth — in a single row of somewhat incurved 

 ones, largest in the mandible. Those in the premaxillaries are directed somewhat 

 backwards, as are also a patch in the contiguous and posterior part of the maxilla, 

 but those in the posterior half of this latter bone are directed upwards. Fins — the 

 dorsal consists of two portions, the anterior being prolongations of about 6 neural 

 spines, the last two being the longest and largest, they are connected together by 

 a thin plate : the rayed portion is higher than the first part : a rudimentary adipose 

 dorsal fin is sometimes present. Pectoral rather longer than the head : ventral small, 

 anal somewhat similar to the rayed part of the dorsal : caudal forked. Skin of the 

 body covered with a silvery pigment, while in various places it possesses what have 

 been termed eye-like spots, one anterior to the eye, usually two behind it, six 

 smaller ones on the throat and branchiostegous rays, and six larger ones on the 

 chest and humeral arch : twelve along the pubic plate, and eight on a line a little 

 above this commencing above the axilla, the two anterior of which are the largest. 

 Near the lower edge of the body and behind the ventral fin are four large ones, 

 the last almost reaching the base of the anal, and six more over the last half of 

 the base of the anal fin. Colours — the body brilliant silvery, the tail portion 

 yellowish. A few black spots on the head and an irregular band along the base of 

 the dorsal fin. On the side of the tail above the hind edge of the anal fin are two 

 small silvery spots, with fine black bars radiating from them : a black band at the 

 base of the caudal fin. As a rule the eye-like spots along the lower edge of the 

 body have a black edge. 



Habits. — Of these but little is known. 



Breeding. — Eggs large. 



Habitat. — Atlantic and Mediterranean. 



An example in the British Museum is stated to have been dredged in 540 

 fathoms, between Shetland and the Faroe Islands by the Porcupine, along with 

 several other Mediterranean forms in 1869. 



