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they are not very distinct on the other median fins except on 

 the caudal, the only fin with slightly bifid rays; in the other fins 

 the rays are simple; at the base of the long dorsal and anal fins 

 the projecting heads of the interspinous bones give rise to a ser- 

 rated appearance. The first dorsal is small, but quite detached 

 from the second one in the two larger specimens, it rises just 

 above the insertion of the pectorals; its second ray is the longest 

 and equals in heigt the commencement of the second dorsal fin. 

 This is greatly developed and maintains a nearly equal line throug- 

 hout, but as the body tapers towards the tail the fin increases in 

 height in egual ratio. In size, shape, and development the anal 

 is the exact counterpart of the second dorsal fin, The caudal fin 

 is quite distinct, its contour is lanceolate in the smaller specimen, 

 nearly oval in the older one, subtruncate with rounded edges in 

 the oldest or biggest specimen. The pectorals are distinctly lo 

 bate, which character is more marked in the smaller specimens ; 

 they are of moderate size and broadly oval in contour. The 

 ventrals certainly give the most striking feature to this singular 

 fish ; they are inserted below and in front of the pectorals, at 

 the base and on each side of the great abdominal cone. They are 

 of great size, and the very robust rays, five in number, are all 

 elongated and considerably exceed the intervening membrane, 

 which only unites their basal portions; the internal and external 

 rays are considerably less developed than the three median ones, 

 the internal one is the shortest; both are simple and without any 

 trace of terminal dilatations. The three median rays all terminate 

 in a large beautiful lanceolate leaf-like blade, through which, 

 however, the ray continues to the pointed extremity, they are 

 all prolonged far beyond the two first mentioned rays, but the 

 outer one is considerably shorter than the other two, it is 

 smooth and its terminal blade is smaller. The third and fourth 

 rays, counting from the outer one, are subequal, and bent back- 

 wards extend very nearly to the root of the tail; at about the 

 basal third of their lenght they both present a singular angular- 

 dilatation, which looks like a thickened articulation, but which is 

 merely, so far as I can make out, a membranous dilatation. The 

 great lanceolate terminal blades are very large, bein little less thang 

 one fourth of the total length of the ray which supports them , 



