166 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



group in that family. It agrees especially with Zoarces, not only in general form, 

 but in having all the dorsal and anal rays articulated, (excepting one in the dorsal, 

 which possibly may be an accident in the only specimen examined,) and in hav- 

 ing the ventral fins extremely small. On the other hand, it departs from that 

 genus, in having the body entirely naked, and free from scales; in the two 

 remarkable canines in front of the upper jaw, and in having teeth on the palate; 

 also in having no notch at the posterior part of the dorsal. It is further remarkable 

 for its large prominent eyes, and the rows of tubipores on the cheeks. Amongst 

 the true Malacopterygians, it approaches nearest to Ophidium, and, but for the cir- 

 cumstance of its possessing ventrals, it might perhaps be ranged under that 

 genus. It is, however, evidently a connecting link between the Apodal Malacop- 

 terygians and the Blennidce. 



Like the Blennies, this genus has neither ccecal appendages nor air-bladder. 

 The intestinal canal is rather ample, with a few coils, but of tolerably equal 

 dimensions throughout. 



There is but one species of this new genus in the collection, which is from 

 the Archipelago of Chiloe. The detailed description of it is as follows : — 



Iluocoztes fimbriatus. Jen. 



Plate XXIX. Fig. 2. 

 Form. — Very much elongated, subcylindric anteriorly, compressed and ensiform behind. Greatest 

 depth in the region of the pectorals, and about one-tenth of the entire length. Head, mea- 

 sured to the extreme point of the gill-cover, five and a half times in the same. The head is 

 rather larger than any part of the body, its depth and thickness being equal, and each a trifle 

 less than the depth of the body. Crown and forehead a little flattened, whence the profile 

 descends in a curve before the eyes. Snout blunt and rounded, projecting, both in front 

 and at the sides, beyond the lower jaw. Gape wide, and reaching to beneath the middle of 

 the eye. Intermaxillary somewhat protractile at the sides, but not in front; shorter than 

 the maxillary, with a considerable intervention of membrane between the extremities of the 

 two bones, which are not united posteriorly, excepting by the membrane just mentioned. 

 Maxillary long, rather slender, of nearly uniform breadth and thickness throughout, retiring in 

 part beneath the suborbital, and reaching backwards to a vertical from the posterior part of the 

 orbit. Intermaxillary with a single row of small, pointed, subconical, slightly curved teeth; 

 in front of these, and quite at the anterior extremity of the jaw, two strong, hooked, regular 

 canines :* the teeth in the row rather wide asunder, and set a little irregularly, about thirtv in 

 number. In the lower jaw, teeth few in number, scarcely more than eight or ten in front, 

 rather stronger than the intermaxillary series, followed by a moderate canine on each side, 

 these last smaller than the ones above : at the sides of the lower jaw, beyond the canines, 

 scarcely more than one or two small teeth (possibly others are fallen). A small cluster of 

 three or four teeth on the fore part of the vomer, like those in front of the lower jaw, and a 

 * One of these is gone in this specimen, but the socket in which it was implanted is obvious. 



