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XIV.  Desaiption  of  a  Netu  Genus  of  Acanthopterygian  Fishes.    By  the  Rev.  R.  T. 
Lowe,  B.A.,  Corr.  Memh.  Z.S.    (In  a  Letter  to  the  Secretary.) 
Communicated  August  27,  1833. 
My  dear  Bennett, 
I  HAVE  been  so  fortunate  as  to  procure  a  second  specimen,  this  year,  of  my  Alepi- 
saurus.  It  was  captured  off  the  town  in  the  bay  on  the  21st  of  May  by  some  fisher- 
men, and  appears,  by  its  violence  and  ferocity  when  taken  into  the  boat,  to  have  well 
substantiated  its  title  to  the  specific  appellation  I  had  before  given  it.  I  owe  to  the 
kind  attention  of  my  friend  G.  B.  Leacock,  Esq.,  both  the  acquisition  of  the  specimen, 
and  an  opportunity  of  seeing  it  very  shortly  after  death,  while  still  perfectly  fresh,  and 
with  the  colours  unchanged  and  vivid.  Though  it  has  suffered  considerable  injury 
from  the  blows  the  fishermen  affirm  they  were  obliged  to  inflict  in  self-defence, — for  it 
attacked  them  furiously  when  pulled  into  the  boat, — the  dorsal  fin  was  fortunately  in 
such  good  condition,  as  to  enable  me  to  correct  a  little  inaccuracy  as  to  this  organ  in 
my  former  sketch  of  last  year.  When  first  brought  on  shore,  yet  scarce  dead,  this  fin  re- 
mained for  some  time  erect  and  completely  extended,  presenting  a  very  fine  appearance 
from  the  beautiful  iridescent  dark  steel-blue  hues  of  the  connecting  membrane.  This 
last  is  of  such  extreme  tenuity  and  delicacy,  that  in  drying  it  very  quickly  loses  all  its 
beauty ;  and  the  rays  are  at  the  same  time  so  long,  and  so  strong  in  proportion,  that 
it  is  susceptible  of  injury,  when  once  out  of  the  water,  from  almost  the  slightest  touch. 
I  do  not  feel,  therefore,  fully  confident  that  the  rays  are  really  not  prolonged  beyond  the 
membrane  in  the  fish  while  living  and  perfectly  uninjured ;  though  such  is  my  impres- 
sion from  an  examination  of  the  present  specimen  apart  from  other  considerations. 
I  am  indebted  to  the  able  pencil  of  Miss  Young  for  the  beautiful  coloured  drawing 
which  accompanies  my  letter,  taken  from  this  specimen,  while  fresh,  in  its  general 
tints,  and  reduced  to  one  sixth  the  natural  size,  from  measurements  made  by  myself. 
The  injured  parts,  chiefly  the  anal  fin  and  the  lower  jaw  (in  which  some  teeth  were 
broken),  are  restored  from  a  careful  sketch  taken  last  year  by  me  from  the  former 
specimen  now  in  the  collection  of  the  Zoological  Society.  Tjie  lobes  of  the  tail  are 
left  unfinished ;  for  in  both  specimens  they  were  too  much  injured  to  decide  whether 
they  are  properly  rounded  or  pointed  at  the  tips. 
In  the  idea  that  the  accompanying  drawing  well  deserves  a  place  in  your  Trans- 
actions, I  subjoin  the  essential  characters  of  this  curious  new  genus,  and  remain,  dear 
Bennett, 
Yours  ever  sincerely. 
Madera,  June  23,  1833. 
VOL.  I. 
S 
R.  T.  Lowe. 
