pennant’s GI.OREli'ISH. 
O 1 (J 
spine with four horizontal branching roots or supports, arranged 
in lines running obliquely backward. Eye eight tenths of an 
inch in diameter, and two inches and two tenths of an inch 
from the front. No visible gill-covers; the pectoral fin, with 
fifteen rays, is two inches and a fifth behind the eye, placed 
in a depression of the skin; the anterior portion of which has 
a free margin, opening into the orifice of the gills; the posterior 
continuous with the skin of the sides. No lateral line. Eays 
of the dorsal fin eighteen, the anal fifteen; these fins opposite 
each other, with fleshy roots, the anal near the vent, prominent; 
the tail expanded, waved. In this example the upper parts 
were dark with a tinge of blue, below, with the globe, silvery 
white. 
But in the second example, which was smaller, the back 
was a lively blue; of which colour also the other examples are 
described. The skin is tough, and could be removed easily; 
the cellular tissue loose; nerves of the skin largo; two large 
and long muscles extend from the pelvis along the lower border 
of the globe; and so before, passing backward, with lateral 
fibres passing transversely; all of them intermixed. Anteriorly 
two long bones from the sternum passed obliquely backward, 
one on either side, the whole length of the abdomen, and 
from these the powerful circular fibres arose to assist in con- 
tracting the globe when necessary. On the back the skin is 
as if tattooed; an arch over each eye, and behind this a 
transverse arch; from which there is one along the back to 
near the caudal fin; which fin has twelve rays. The air-bladder 
is large, and separate from the globe. 
Professor Owen says that in the Globefishes the great air 
sac seems to be a more direct development as a culde sac (or 
pouch) of the gullet; and these fishes blow themselves up by 
swallowing air, which escapes through a large anterior oblique 
orifice into the sac; and this again communicates with the lore 
part of the gullet by a second opening much smaller than the 
first, and having a tumid valvular border; but it is hard to 
imagine how this air for distention can be obtained at a con- 
siderable depth from the surface; and in the instances which 
are known it has not been discharged when safety required it 
in order to escape capture. The supposition is ventured, 
however, that when deeply immersed it is water that is swallowed 
