166 



NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



larly on the forepart of the back, where they are also most remote : and though rather larger 

 and more crowded on the sides they are nowhere tiled, each scale being surrounded by a 

 distinct space of smooth skin. Their general form is ovate or oval, and they are covered with 

 a mucous skin, except a round or oval spot on the tip. The naked tips are larger on the 

 sides, where they often assume a slightly crescentic form, and many of the scales there are 

 truncated. As the skin dries the tips of the scales become elevated and rough to the touch. 

 There are 134 scales on the lateral line, and 78 in a vertical row under the dorsal, 30 of them 

 being above the lateral line. On the forepart of the body each scale on the lateral line cor- 

 responds to two rows above and below, so that there are in all between 240 and 250 rows on 

 the sides. A linear inch includes about ten or eleven scales on most parts of the body. The 

 lateral line is an inch nearer to the ridge of the back than to the upper ray of the ventral : it 

 is formed by a series of ovate, dilated, acuminated scales, each having an elevated tube pos- 

 teriorly, and a small pore on its tip. The distance between the anus and the base of the 

 inferior caudal ray is contained two times and a half between the anus and gill-opening. 



Colour. — The back, top of the head, dorsal and caudal fins, have a hue intermediate be- 

 tween oil-green and hair-brown ; the cheeks are nacry, and the sides pearl-grey, with a blush 

 of lilac and a silvery lustre ; there are a number of scattered dots of carmine in the vicinity 

 of the lateral line ; the colour of the belly varies in different individuals from faded orange to 

 tile-red and arterial blood-red. These colours are described partly from the dried skin and 

 partly from two drawings made by Sir John Ross. 



Dimensions 

 Of the dried specimen. 



Inches. 



Length from tip of upper jaw to tip of caudal 33 



end of scales 

 ,, anus 



„ commencement of dorsal 

 „ tip of suboperculum 

 „ nape 

 „ centre of pupil 

 „ orbit 



tip of under jaw to tip of caudal 34 



„ tip of suboperculum 6 



centre of pupil to ditto . 3 



posterior edge of orbit to ditto . 3 



of transverse axis of orbit . . 



vertical axis of ditto . . .0 



intermaxillary bone . . 



labial 2 



Lines. 



Length of lower jaw 



4 „ its toothed margin 

 „ attachment of dorsal 



11 „ longest rays of ditto 



„ last ray of ditto 



5 ,, pectorals 

 2-^ „ ventrals . 

 9 „ ventral appendages 

 2 „ attachment of anal . 



lOJj () longest rays of ditto 



10 „ last ray of ditto 

 4 J „ lobes of caudal 



lOg „ central rays beyond the scales 



7 ,, from anus to base of caudal 



1 1 Breadth of occiput .... 

 10 „ between the orbits 



Inches. 

 4 

 2 

 3 

 3 

 1 

 5 

 4 

 

 2 

 3 

 1 

 4 

 2 

 6 

 2 

 2 



Lines. 



7 

 6 

 

 9 

 11 

 2 

 2 



^ 



6 

 2£ 



