412 APPENDIX. 



NAUCRATES cyanopTirys. 



Dorsal spines four^ the first and the last very small ; 

 anal spines two ; jaws equal ; body^ but not the fins^ 

 with blackish bands ; irides blue ; tongue without 

 teeth. 



N. ductor? Cuv. et Tal. Centronotus conductor. Risso, 



p. 193. 



Dorsal 4, 26. ; pectoral 18; ventral 1, 5; anal 1, 17; 

 caudal 24 ; gill membrane 6. 



Inhabits the coasts of Sicily, particularly Palermo (Nob.), and 



of Nice (Risso). 



" The usual length of N. cyanophrys is above 1 foot ; its 

 form, in comparison to 31. Cu-sier's figure (plate 232.) of 

 A', ductor, is nearly the same ; but the eyes are much smaller, 

 the mouth less wide, and the two jaws are of equal length ; 

 the first dorsal spine commences in a line with the tip of the 

 pectoral fin, and not, as in ductor, with the third part of its 

 termination. The first and the last spines are minute, and 

 only half as long as the two middle, which are equal ; and the 

 distance between each is the same. The bands on the body 

 do not extend, as in ductor, to the dorsal, caudal, and anal 

 fins, the first and last of which are entirely blackish ; the 

 anal is lighter. The scales are very minute, not larger than 

 the circumference of the head of a good- sized pin. The skin 

 is tough ; teeth in the jaws rather small, sharp, and much 

 crowded ; those in the upper jaw longest. The pre-oper- 

 culum is scaled only round the eyes ; the sides and belly 

 white ; pectoral fin nearly black, darkest inside ; ventral fins 

 reposing in a groove, and larger than the pectoral ; their 

 outer surface white, but black between the two outer rays 

 inside ; vent rather nearest to the caudal fin, at the base of 

 which, above and below, in a conspicuous depression. — 

 Palermo, February 15, 1815." 



N.B. This latter character is not mentioned by Cuvier as 

 belonging to his ductor. 



It is obvious from what M. Rafinesque has said on the last species, that 

 he considered this as the true ductor o{ authors, and it is more than pro- 

 bable that Cuvier possessed this species (either dryed or in spirits), since 

 he framed his description of his rfwcfor from specimens sent to hirn from 

 Marseilles, Genoa, and Naples ; and those which he alludes to as having, 

 although r&xe]\\four spines, instead of theordinarj- number oi three, were 

 probably specimens of our X cyanophrys. On the other hand, M. Cuvier 

 assigns to all those he examined two other characters, not found in this ; 

 namely, that of having the under jaw longest, and the irides golden ; 

 wherea*, in this, the jaws are equal, and the irides blue. Having so drawn 

 up the specific characters of these two species as to place their peculiarities 



