[    395  ] 
XLIII.  Additional  Observations  on  Alepisaurus  ferox.    By  the  Rev.  R.  T.  Lowe,  M.A., 
Corr.  Memb.  Z.S. 
Communicated  June  23,  1835, 
Early  in  the  month  of  April  last,  a  third  specimen  of  Alepisaurus  ferox  was  caught 
by  a  fisherman  off  the  village  of  Camera  de  Lobos,  a  Httle  to  the  west  of  Funchal,  on 
the  south  coast  of  Madera.  Having  beforehand  offered  a  reward  for  one,  sufficient  to 
ensure  its  preservation  from  injury  or  mutilation,  I  obtained  possession  of  this  individual, 
a  few  hours  only  after  its  capture,  in  a  state  of  great  perfection,  I  am  thus  enabled  to 
offer  to  the  Society,  along  with  this  more  perfect  specimen  itself,  some  important  addi- 
tions to  my  own  former  brief  remarks  upon  this  highly  interesting  genus,  and  my  friend 
Mr.  Bennett's  more  detailed  description  of  its  external  characters.  These  additions 
relate  chiefly  to  parts,  which  were  either  so  mutilated  in  both  the  former  specimens  as 
to  preclude  altogether  any  attempt  at  delineation  or  description,  or  so  fragile  as  proba- 
bly to  leave  a  wide  field  open  for  revision  and  correction  to  subsequent  observers. 
The  body  is  thickest  from  the  end  of  the  first  dorsal  fin  to  the  caudal,  towards  the 
root  of  which  it  is  rounded,  and  somewhat  thicker  than  deep.  Proceeding  forwards,  it 
becomes  gradually  deeper,  but  not  thicker,  to  the  edge  of  the  operculum  ;  its  deepest 
part  being  close  behind  the  pectoral  fins.  The  head  is  also  much  compressed  and  elon- 
gated, measuring,  from  the  tip  of  the  lower  jaw  to  the  hinder  edge  of  the  operculum,  be- 
tween one  ninth  and  one  tenth  of  the  total  length  of  the  fish  from  the  tip  of  the  lower 
jaw  to  the  extreme  point  of  the  upper  lobe  of  the  taiP  :  its  depth  at  the  posterior  end 
of  the  cranium  is  less  than  one  half  its  length,  not  measuring  the  branchiostegous  mem- 
brane ;  and  a  little  more,  including  the  same.  The  general  depth  of  the  head  and  fore 
part  of  the  ,  body  diminishes  very  gradually  from  the  pectoral  fins,  or  first  ray  of  the 
dorsal  fin,  forwards  ;  and  the  general  thickness  of  the  head,  which  is  greatest  close  be- 
hind the  eyes,  and  exactly  equals  the  greatest  thickness  of  the  body  at  the  root  of  the 
tail,  is  rather  more  than  one  third  of  its  length.  The  tip  of  the  upper  jaw  is  strongly 
retuse  or  emarginate.  The  whole  head  is  unarmed,  smooth,  and  with  a  very  gelatinous 
appearance.  "  The  appearance  of  a  double  row  of  lengthened  tubercles,"  produced  by 
a  series  of  small  chain-like  bones  beneath  the  skin,  was  not  noticed  in  the  present  spe- 
cimen when  recent ;  neither  was  it  in  the  former  until  after  immersion  in  alcohol.  I 
believe  this  character  does  not  become  visible  before  the  collapse  or  contraction  of  the 
integuments  and  muscles  consequent  to  such  immersion.  An  angular  raised  bony  ridge, 
accompanied  by  a  series  of  pores,  extends  beneath  and  round  the  hinder  half  of  the 
orbit.  A  row  of  pores  also  runs  along  the  side  of  the  lower  jaw,  close  beneath  the  lower 
edge  of  the  dentary  bone. 
'  This  decrement  of  proportion  from  the  former  measurement  of  one  seventh  is  owing  to  the  perfect  condi- 
tion of  the  tail  in  the  present  specimen. 
