On the Callorynclius Australis. 
15 
This specimen was a male of 2J feet long: the 
splendour and ever-varying hues of the skin render it 
extremely difficult to give a minute or accurate descrip¬ 
tion of its colour, from its changing with every move¬ 
ment of the spectator. The under surface and sides of 
the body were of a brilliant silver white ; the muscular 
part of the first dorsal fin is covered with a beautiful 
golden-coloured skin : this is connected with a band of 
the same colour of an inch broad, which extends the 
whole length of the dorsal fin. On the front of the 
head, and anterior to the first dorsal fin, there is a bright 
black spot of a metallic lustre, which becomes lighter 
from the organ of prehension on the front of the head, 
and continues to the extremity of the proboscis. The 
upper part of the body, above a raised line which ex¬ 
tends the whole length of the fish, is of a dark colour, 
with a metallic lustre ; the iris is of light brown, and the 
pupil bright orange. The skin is traversed by a raised 
line, which runs from a point posterior to the eye to the 
extremity of the tail: from its commencement others 
extend in various directions over the head. The fins are 
large, and disposed in the same manner as in the true 
shark. The pectorals are very large ; the scapular arch 
is supported by attachment to the occipital bone and last 
branchial arch. The abdominal fin is considerably 
smaller and rounder; it is supported on the base of a 
triangular piece of cartilage, the analogues of the pelvic 
bones in higher animals: attached to the base of these 
abdominal fins are two tubular organs, analogous in form 
and formation to those found in the rays. 
Anterior to the caudal fin, which occupies the under 
surface of the tail, is a small fin supported on a car¬ 
tilaginous piece, as in the sharks. The first dorsal fin 
is supported by a curved bony ray 5 inches long, which ex¬ 
tends above the fin 2 \ inches ; anchvlcsed to the posterior 
