CO 
ICHTHYOLOGY 
VINCENTIA WATERHOUSII. 
Height of body contained a little over three times in the 
length of the fish ; head three times and a-quarter in the 
same ; orbit three times in the length of the head. 
The upper profile is convex ; the lower one almost straight 
at the tail and convex on the body ; head very large ; 
the lower jaw shorter than the upper one, when the mouth 
is open • teeth exeeedingly minute, numerous, viliform ; 
none on the vomer nor on the palatines, but the pharyngien 
ones are covered with small granular teeth ; the operculum has 
no points, but is angular at its edge ; praeoperculum serrated ; 
the denticulations being directed upwards ; it is rounded 
inferiorly, and has an interior ridge, which is straight 
posteriorly and rather rounded at its lower angle ; body 
rather compressed, covered with very large scales, which are 
finely ciliated on the edge ; they number twelve on the 
transverse series, the lateral line running on the fourth ; the 
number of transverse series is twenty- four. 
The lateral line is well marked, being formed of a 
succession of little ridges ; it follows regularly the profile 
of the back at less than one-third the height of the 
fish ; it continues on the base of the caudal fin, where it 
is represented by three supplementary scales. First dorsal 
fin inserted on the vertical from the posterior edge of the 
operculum, of seven spines ; the first very short, the second 
near four times as long, and the third about twice this ; it is 
the longest and thickest of all, it is rather arched and very 
pointed ; the others go on decreasing, and the fin has a 
triangular form. The second dorsal almost touches the first 
at its base, it is formed of a long spine, almost straight and 
very sharp, and of seven rays, longer than the spine ; caudal 
rounded, of twenty-four rays, including the small lateral ones ; 
seventeen are longer than the others ; anal formed of two spines 
and seven rays ; the first spine is rather short, and the second, 
which is strong, straight, and pointed, is three times as long. 
The ventrals are inserted a little in front of the pectorals ; they 
are large and formed of a long, thick, sharp spine, and of five rays 
