MEGRIM. 
431 
margin, however, at the division beiweert the operculum 
and suboperculum, this arch is distinctly notched. The 
branehiostegal membranes are anteriorly (inferiorly) 
united into a broad, transverse fold, which tits into 
the bend of the urohyoid bone, and extends to the 
bottom of this bend. This transverse fold is marked 
off by a deep fold from the lateral parts of the bran- 
ehiostegal membranes, and contains only the foremost 
(lowest) pair of rays, which, as in the preceding genus, 
are exteriorly (distally) coalescent. The other six rays 
on each side are fine, long, and sabre-shaped, the tAvo 
anterior, as Avell as the three posterior, lying close to 
each other. 
The dorsal fin begins on the blind side of the 
head, close to and just above the anterior nostril, the 
first interspinal bone being situated at the upper margin 
of the nasal cavity. The length of the fin measures 
77 or 78 %, and its height (the longest ray) 9 or 10 %, 
of the length of the body. It terminates exactly at 
the dorsal edge, and sometimes almost touches the 
uppermost supporting ray of the caudal fin, though it 
is sometimes separated from the latter by two or three 
scales’ breadth. It is of fairly uniform height, the 
anterior rays groAving uniformly and gradually longer, 
and the posterior shorter. The anal fin resembles the 
dorsal in shape, is of almost the same height, and its 
length is about 59 — 63 % of that of the body. The j 
distance betAveen it and the tip of the snout is 24 or 
25 % of the length of the body, and it terminates 
posteriorly in the same manner as the dorsal fin. The 
caudal fin, the length of Avhich is about 16 — 18 % a of 
that of the body, is evenly rounded at the hind margin 
or someAvhat pointed in the middle, and is made up 
of 11 branched rays, and 3 supporting rays above and 
beloAvb The pectoral fins are narrow and pointed. In 
the pectoral fin of the eye side, the length of which 
is about 13 — 16 % of that of the body, the third ray 
is the longest. The length of the pectoral fin of the 
blind side is only 8 or 9 % of that of the body. The 
ventral fins are especially remarkable for their great 
difference from each other, the base of the one (on 
the eye side) being more than tAvice as long as that 
of the other 0 , and extending from the anterior end of 
the loAver extremity of the urohyoid bone to the be- 
ginning of the anal fin. In height, hoAvever (the length 
of the longest — the 4th or 5th — ray'') they are 
more alike. Between their posterior rays and the 
membranes that unite these rays to the belly, the 
preanal spines of the pelvic bones appear, the one (that 
of the eye side) just in front of and close to the other. 
The vent lies on the blind side, either just at the end 
of the ventral fin of this side, Avhere the posterior fin- 
membrane terminates, or Avithin (belotv) the end of 
this membrane, and in a line Avith the first ray of the 
anal fin. Exactly opposite, on the eye side, lies the 
small, but distinct urethral papilla. 
The coloured side of the body is described by 
Malm as “broAvnish clay-gray, Avith a roAv of puncti- 
form, blackish brown spots along the lateral line, and 
a 1'oav of similar, smaller spots a little distance from 
the bases of the dorsal and anal fins. These fins, as 
Avell as the others, have blackish dots and streaks on 
the rays, the markings being most distinct in a line 
with the dark spots on the body, and thus suggesting 
that they may perhaps be regarded as traces of evan- 
escent transverse bands on the Avliole body. The mem- 
branes of the left pectoral fin are black betAveen the 
last three rays for 2 / 5 of their length, at the tips of 
the rays. Iris yelloAvish green and, Avith the exception 
of the part bordering on the pupil, spotted Avith grayish 
broAvn." In the specimens preserved in spirits in the 
Royal Museum the Avhole body is orange, Avith almost 
invisible traces of the markings described by Malm, 
excepting the spots on the dorsal and anal fins, but a 
dark broAvn colour has left very distinct traces on 
the tips of the ventral fins. As Ave have failed to 
procure any fresh specimen, Ave have taken advantage 
of Dr. A. IT. Malm’s kind permission, and borroAved 
for this Avork the figure coloured by Mr. Thornam for 
Dr. Malm’s father. 
The Megrim can scarcely be considered rare on 
the Avest coast of Scandinavia, as it has often been met 
Avith in Christiania Fjord, Gullmar Fjord and the island- 
belt of Gothenburg. Collett mentions 17 specimens 
“ 15'5 — 18’5, according to our measurements; lfi‘4 — 20’2, according to Collett’s. 
5 In the Royal Museum specimen, which is 98 mm. long, of the very nearly related species, Platoplirys tapeinomosa from Hong Kong, 
there are only 9 branched rays in the caudal fin, but 4 supporting rays on each side. However, it is very common among the Teleosts that 
young specimens differ in this respect from older ones. 
c The length of the base of the former is about 7 or 8 %, of the latter about 3 1 /., of the length of the body. 
,l About 6 or 7 % of the length of the body. 
