FISH. " 



The profile slopes very gently. The lower jaw is longest, ascending to meet the upper. 

 There are three or four longitudinal lines on the sides of the head, especially a very well 

 marked one (not particularly noticed by Valenciennes) extending backwards from the posterior 

 angle of the eye to the upper angle of the gill- opening. No appearance of any lateral line. 

 This specimen has a ray more in the anal than Valenciennes gives. The fin-ray formula is as 

 follows : — 

 B. 6; D. 6—1/10, the last double ; A. 1/10, the last double ; C. 16, &c. ; 



P. 18; V. 1/5. 



Length 4 inches 1 line. 

 This species, except in respect of its separate ventrals, has very much the 

 habit and general appearance of the Gobius niger of the European seas. 



Family.— LOPHID^. 

 Bateachus porosissimus. Cuv. et Vol. ? 



Batrachus porosissimus, Cuv. et Vol. Hist, des Poiss. torn. xii. p. 373. 

 Form. — Head very large, broad and depressed, exactly one-fourth of the entire length; its 

 breadth two-thirds of its own length. Body compressed posteriorly, with its greatest depth about 

 one-sixth of the entire length. Snout blunt and rounded, the lower jaw projecting; gape wide. 

 The teeth above form but a single row along the intermaxillary, mostly small, but sharp, and the 

 posterior ones much curved : along each palatine there is a row of much stronger ones, and at 

 each angle of the vomer are two very long hooked ones, resembling true canines. In the lower 

 jaw the teeth are in a single row at the sides, but in two or three rows in front, and are unequally 

 sized, some of the lateral ones being as strong as those on each side of the vomer, and much 

 hooked, as well as partially reclining backwards. Tongue smooth, and free at the tip, which is 

 bluntish. Pharynx armed with two patches of velutine teeth above and below. No regular 

 barbule at the chin, but a row of minute cutaneous cirri running all round the edge of the 

 lower jaw ; a similar row along the anterior edge of the upper jaw, behind the intermaxillary, 

 with two thicker and more conspicuous appendages of the skin in the middle. Eyes far apart, 

 and not very large. Opercle armed with one very strong spine, but only just the point ap- 

 pearing through the skin. 



Two small spines in front of the dorsal, a little more backward than the insertion of the 

 pectorals, the first very minute, and hardly appearing through the skin. Second or true dorsal 

 very long, reaching to the base of the caudal, and of nearly uniform height throughout, 

 equalling about one-third of the greatest depth of the body ; the rays branched, and the mem- 

 brane notched between their tips. Anal commencing under the fifth dorsal ray, similar to that 

 fin, but with the membrane more notched between the rays : both fins are fastened down at 

 their extremities to the fleshy part of the tail by a membrane. Caudal slightly rounded, when 

 spread. Pectorals broad and large, but, from the middle rays being longest, appearing 

 somewhat w T edge-shaped, not quite equalling the length of the head. Ventrals much smaller, 

 only half their length, and cut nearly square. 



