the rays* Pectorals very little in advance of th e ventrals, in length more than half that
of the head, with the second, third, and fourth rays longest. Ventrals in an exact vertical
line with the commencement of the dorsal, nearly equal to the pectorals, with the first
and second soft rays longest; the spine rather more than half the length of the first soft ra y ;
the last soft ray united to the body by a membrane.
Colours.—“ C entre of each scale pale vermilion red: lower jaw quite white: a large irregular patch
above the pectoral bright yellow : iris red, pupil blue-black.”— D. The dried skin in its
present state is of a nearly uniform brown.
Habitat, Chatham Island, Galapagos Archipelago.
I have named this species in honour of Mr. Darwin, whose researches in the
Galapagos Archipelago, where he obtained it, have been so productive in bringing
to light new forms. I have referred it to the genus Cossyphus of Valenciennes, on
account of the small rounded grains behind the principal teeth ; but it rather departs
from that group in not having the preopercle denticulated, and in having no
scales on any of the vertical fins, with the exception of a few at the base of the
caudal. In some respects it seems intermediate between that genus and Labrus.
It does not appear to be described, though it seems to approach the C. reticulaUis
of Valenciennes in many of its characters. That species however is from Japan.
The canines at the anterior extremity of each jaw are very conspicuous in this
fish, and give it at first sight much the appearance of a D entex.
C h e i l i o r a m o s u s . Jen.
C. nigro-fuscus, infrà lineam lateralem et in ventre ohscurh argenteus ; pinnis pallidè
fu scis immaculatis : corpore valde elongato : dentibus in m axillá superiore duobus
anticis caninis fo rtib u s, lateralibus conicis parvis suboequalibus ; in inferiore,
caninis parvis, lateralibus variis inoequalibus : lined laterali ramosá.
B. 6; D. 9/13; A. 3/12; C. 12, et 4 breviores ; P. 11 ; V. 1/5.
L o n g . u n c . 9 . lin . 6.
F orm.— V ery much elongated, with the dorsal and ventral lines nearly straight. D epth varying
but little, and contained nine and a half times in the entire len gth ; thickness not quite three-
fourths of the depth. Head elongated, contained not more than three and a half times in
the entire length, compressed, with the cheeks vertical. Snout very much produced, slightly
rounded at the extrem ity: gape reaching h alf way to beneath the middle of the eye. Jaws
scarcely protractile; the upper one a little the longest: lips reflexed in the form of membranaceous
flaps, especially the lower one, the margin of which is sinuous. T eeth ranged in a
single row in each jaw. Those above form a numerous, close-set, nearly even series at the sides
of the jaw, with two long hooked canines in fro n t; the lateral teeth amount to about thirty-five
on each side, and are small, but strong, somewhat conical, and not very sharp-pointed. In the
lower jaw there are two front canines, similar to those in the upper, but much sm aller; then
follow four short conical te e th ; then six large triangular, compressed, sharp-pointed ones, but
not all of equal size ; then five more small conical ones, which complete the series on each side.
. 1 .1 No teeth on the vomer or pail^ai.t7i_n_e_s . TE7_y_e_s— o f mod1 erate size, situate in the mm ii/d: dle of the
length of the head, high, but not touching the line of the profile; their diameter one-
eighth the length of the head. Preopercle rectangular. Opercle triangular, the membrane
produced posteriorly at the upper part in the form of a rounded angle: a short row of scales
observable along its upper margin, and another along its lower. Subopercle and interoperele
w ithout scales. Also a short row of scales, similar to those on the opercle, behind and partially
beneath each eye, and, with these exceptions, no other scales on the head. Above each
eye is an irregular row of minute pores: there are also pores beneath the eye, and on the
sides of the snout, mixed with short raised lines having somewhat the appearance of written
characters. Gill-opening widely cleft; the branchial membrane free all round.
Scales on the body moderately large, and similar in form to those of the C. auratus, as
described by Cuvier and Valenciennes. T he number, in a longitudinal line from the gill to
the caudal, is forty-six, in a vertical about seventeen. L ateral line also as in that species, but
with the mucous tubes branched, and giving off eight or nine twigs on each side.
T he dorsal commences a little behind the terminating angle of the opercle, and the anal
immediately beneath the first branched ray of the d orsal: these fins term inate in the same vertical
line, and the last ray in each is double: the simple rays are soft and flexible. Caudal
slightly rounded. Pectorals short, and obliquely truncated, contained eleven and a half times
in the entire length. V entrals very small, about two-thirds the length of the pectorals,
rounded, close together, with an elongated scale between them ; tbeir point of insertion slightly
backwarder than that of the pectorals.
C olour.—N ot noticed in the recent state. In spirits, it appears of an almost uniform dark brown,
at least above the lateral line. There is some trace of a pale longitudinal band on each side of
the head beneath the e je , which is continued, but rather indistinctly, along the whole length
of the body, the tips of the scales remaming dark. Possibly during life all the lower part of
the sides and belly may have exhibited numerous dark spots upon a pale or silvery ground.
U nder part of the head pale brown, with some faintly-defined ocellated spots: also a faint trace
of red on the opercle. All the fins pale brown, without spots.
Habitat, Japan!
This species was given to Mr. Darwin, when at Chiloe, hy the surgeon of
a whaling-ship, who said that he believed that it was caught in the Japan
seas. From the great similarity which prevails amongst the species of this
genus, I am not sure that it is really new, as I have ventured to consider it.
The specific character also, so far as the colours are concerned, must be received
with some caution, in consequence of these last not having been observed in the
recent state. It seems to approach very closely the C, heniichrysos of Cuvier and
Valenciennes, brought by MM. Quoy and Gaimard from the Sandwich Islands ;
but it differs in its colours, especially in the fins being all uniformly pale brown,
and in having fewer scales on the opercle, and beneath the eye. It is impossible
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