144 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



Lophiuxe. 

 In Lophius budegassa, a Mediterranean species of the "Angler" 

 family, the sacculus rests in a shallow flat depression. 



AnTENNARIID^. 



Antennarius hispidus, from the Indian Ocean, shows the 

 position of the sacculi under the base of the skull by the bone 

 under the pockets standing out in divergent sections. 



Balistime. 

 The sacculus in Balistes capriscus (the " File Fish," also 

 called the " Trigger Fish ") lies in a pocket open at the top, 

 through which it could be lifted out. The sagittae are small 

 (fig. II., 10). B. niger is similar. 



Tetrodonthxe. 

 In Tetrodon leopardus, a " Globe Fish " of the Indian Ocean, 

 the ear membranes lie in a cavity at the side of the skull away 

 from the middle line and at the posterior end of the brain cavity. 



Molidje. 



Orthagoriscas mola has no otoliths; it is supplied with otoconie 

 only,* in this respect resembling the cartilaginous fishes. 



When dissecting for otoliths one is occasionally met with 

 a difficulty in finding one, or sometimes both, of the parti- 

 cular stones ; e.g., one lapillus, or asteriscus, or perhaps both 

 asterisci. At first want of skill may be held to be responsible 

 for the non- success, but as skill improves and experience shows 

 that even fairly large stones are missed, it begins to be surmised 

 that perhaps the stones in these cases are non-existent, and have 

 never been developed. To quote some cases ; eight different 

 species of the Lutjanus family were examined, and in one case 

 the left asteriscus could not be found ; the note made at the time 

 reads, " The left asteriscus missed, the sacculus and lagena were 

 got out entire, and the most careful search was made, but not a 

 vestige could be found." In all the other cases both, and in this 



* See article by Professor D'Arcy W. Thompson, "On the Auditory 

 Labyrinth of Orthagoriscus." * Anatomischer Anzeiger,' hi., Jahrgang, 

 Nos. 4 and 5, 1888. 



