74 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
they are apparently set in two rows, an outer one, which 
ends half-way along the jaw, and an inner one with 
larger teeth, especially in front, which extends along its 
whole length, but between these rows, in the front part 
of the mandible, there are several teeth of similar form 
but in no regular arrangement. In the upper jaw, on 
the intermaxillary bones, the teeth are similarly arranged 
in an inner and an outer row with several teeth between 
them, but posteriorly both rows converge and at last 
join into one, single row. There are no teeth on the 
palatine bones, the vomer or the tongue. 
As in the rest of the Bramidce and as we have 
already seen in Beryx, the dorsal parts of the large 
lateral muscles originate as far forward as the forehead 
just above the middle of the orbits. In front of this 
point the forehead and snout are convex, with a de- 
pression along the middle and with the skin pierced 
by a number of pores like those we have above de- 
Fig. 22. Young of Pterycombus brama from the middle of 
the Atlantic.' Twice the natural size. After Lutken. 
scribed in the Sparidce. The anterior nostrils are oval 
and situated almost half-way between the point of the 
upper jatv and the anterior orbital margin, the posterior 
appear like slits and are situated lower than the anterior, 
about half-way between them and the orbital margin". 
In adult specimens the operculum and the other 
bones belonging to the apparatus of the gill-cover are 
completely destitute of armour; but during youth the 
margin of the preoperculum is dentated in the manner 
shown in Lutken’s figure, which we reproduce here 
(fig. 22) and which is presumably that of a young 
specimen of this species. In the dried specimen the 
hind margin of the operculum is somewhat undulating, 
with one of the projections longer than the others. 
The gill-aperture is complete and open as far doAvn as 
the point of the isthmus. 
The head is entirely covered with scales, Avith the 
exceptions mentioned above, namely the snout, the inter- 
maxillaries, the loAver margin of the preoperculum, and 
the loAver jaw, along Avhich Ave find raised bars as in 
the Berycidce. 
The most special characters of this fish are the 
peculiar formation of the scales and the groove in Avhich 
the dorsal and anal fins are set. The body is covered 
Avith large, imbricate, very thin and broad (high) scales, 
Avhich form regular longitudinal roAvs. The free part 
of each scale is almost square (see fig. 20, p. 71): the 
inner or basal margin is straight and furnished at the 
middle with a small, raised knob, which towards the 
tail gradually develops into a short, stiff spine, Avhile 
the outer or hind margin is rounded or bilobate, with 
the lobes separated by a small incision Avhich receives 
the spine of the scale behind. These spines are nothing 
more than convexities of the scales themselves. The 
lateral line, Avhich is not distinguished by the form of 
its scales from the other roAvs of large (high) scales, 
contains from 49 to 51 scales, the anterior Avithout 
distinct spines. The canal of the lateral line pierces 
the inner (covered) part of each scale (fig. 20, b) 
about half-Avay up, and just behind the spine or the 
corresponding knob sends out a small, opening duct 
on the outside of the scale in an oblique, upAvard di- 
rection: on the inside of the scale the canal is con- 
tinued in a tubular form as far as the scale is attached 
to the skin, Avhere it ends, to be continued at the an- 
terior margin of the scale next behind. The lateral 
line occupies the third roAv of high scales incised at 
the hind margin, and betAveen these roAvs and the dor- 
sal fin-covers there are anteriorly 5 roAvs of smaller, 
rounded or obliquely-incised scales. These roAvs be- 
come feAver and feAver posteriorly till at last, at the 
end of the dorsal fin, only one remains. BeloAv the 
lateral line there are 8 rows of high, posteriorly-incised 
scales and 4 roAvs of smaller, posteriorly-rounded ones, 
counted to the ventral margin of the body just in front 
of the anal fin. Thus from the beginning of the dorsal 
fin doAvn to that of the anal Ave count 20 roAvs of 
scales in all, excluding the fin-covers. Most remarkable 
of all, hoAvever, are the latter, which on each side 
of the body rise along the dorsal edge and sink at the 
posterior ventral and the caudal margins of the body, 
like distinct Avails surrounding the bases of the dorsal 
and anal fins and forming deep grooves in Avhich each 
of these fins may freely rise and sink or even be hidden 
“ This is true of the specimen belonging to the Royal Museum. In the specimen borrowed from Upsala Museum, which is also dried, 
the posterior nostrils, too, are round. This difference may perhaps depend on the difference in the manners of drying. 
