94 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



Tripterygion Capito. Jen. 



Plate XIX. fig. 1. 

 T. fusco-griseum, pinnis concoloribus : tentaculis palpebralibus duobus parvis gracilibus 

 e crinibus duobus vel tribus formatis ; nasalibus minutis simplicibus : dorsali prima 

 humili sex-radiatd, radiis subcequalibus ; secundd duplo altiore ; tertid parum altis- 

 simd : lined laterali abbreviatd, vix ultrh pectorales extensd. 



B. 6 : D. 6—20—14 ; A. 25 ; C. 14, &c. ; P. 16 ; V. 2. 

 Long. unc. 2. lin. 5. 

 Form. — Depth at the pectorals one-sixth of the length : thickness at the same part about two-thirds 

 of the depth. Head rather large, thicker than the body, contained four and a half times in the 

 entire length. Snout short, the profile falling very abruptly from between the eyes. These last 

 large, one-third the length of the head, high in the cheeks, reaching to, but hardly interrupting, 

 the line of the profile. Above each a short slender compound tentacle : that on the right side 

 consists of two filaments, one simple, the other forked, so as to appear like three ; that on the 

 left appears undivided. Also a minute filament at each nostril. The maxillary reaches to 

 beneath the middle of the orbit. Jaws equal : in each a row of small conical sharp-pointed 

 teeth, with a broad velutine band behind, the band, however, only in front. A transverse band 

 of velutine teeth on the vomer, extending a little on to the palatines. Opercle and preopercle 

 rounded. Branchial membrane free all round, with a shallow notch in the middle underneath. 

 The first dorsal commences in a vertical line with the insertions of the ventrals ; the rays 

 are six in number, and so nearly equal in length as to cause the fin to appear quite even ; its 

 height is scarcely more than one-third of the depth. The second dorsal begins a little behind 

 the origin of the pectorals : it is also nearly even, but twice the height of the first. The third 

 closely follows the second : this fin is uneven, but its most elevated point is somewhat higher 

 still than the second. The rays of the first and second of these fins are spinous : those of the 

 third soft and articulated, but all simple. The anal, which has also simple rays, commences 

 beneath the middle of the second dorsal, and terminates in the same vertical line with the end 

 of the third, between which last and the caudal is a small space. Caudal square, with twelve 

 of the principal rays branched. Pectorals a little less than one-fourth of the entire length ; the 

 ninth and tenth rays longest ; the six lowermost rather stouter than the others, and, as well 

 as the three uppermost, which are very slender, simple ; the fourth to the tenth, both inclusive, 

 branched. Ventrals contained about six and a half times in the entire length ; consisting of 

 only two slender filamentous rays. 



Scales minute, their free edges finely ciliated ; the concealed portion of each scale marked 

 with twelve or fourteen strise. The lateral line rises at the upper angle of the Opercle, and is 

 well marked by a row of tubular scales till it reaches a little beyond the extremity of the 

 reclined pectoral, where it abruptly terminates, and all further trace of it is lost. 

 Colour. — {In spirits.) Of a nearly uniform dark brown, inclining to griseous, with some appear- 

 ance of darker clouds or spots between the second dorsal and the lateral line; this last also is 

 indicated by a darker streak than the ground colour. Fins dark brown : there is, however, 

 some trace of a white edging to the anterior half of the anal, which may have been more con- 

 spicuous in the living state. 



