Skin perfectly naked. T he lines of pores, which are very numerous about the head and
body, run in the exact directions laid down by Cuvier and Valenciennes, in their description
of the B . porosissimus; but in addition to those which have been pointed out by them, there is
one commencing at the nostrils, and passing underneath each eye, thence ascending a little
behind the eye to descend again by the margin of the preopercle ; another directed transversely
across the cheek, connecting the former with the row that passes along the edge o f the lower
jaw : this transverse row, if continued upwards, would form a tangent to the posterior part of
the orbit. All the lines of pores are furnished with very minute cutaneous appendages,
similar to those already spoken of above, as fringing the edges of the jaws.
D. 2 —36 ; A. 33 ; C. 12, &c.; P . 20 : V. 1/2.
Length 9 inches.
C o l o u r .— “ Above purple-coppery; sides p early; beneath yellowish, with silver dots m regular
figures; iris coppery.”— D. The silver dots alluded to by Mr. Darw in, are the lines of pores.
There are two longitudinal dark lines on the dorsal, the uppermost serving as an edging:
the anal also is edged in the same manner, especially posteriorly.
Habitat, Bahia Blanca.
This species was found by Mr. Darwin cast up on the beach at Bahia Blanca,
where he states that it is not uncommon. It approaches so closely the B .
porosissimus of Cuvier and Valenciennes, that I dare not consider it as distinct
without comparison. Yet it differs from their description of that species, in
having four vomerine teeth, instead of tw o; in having six more rays in the anal
fin ; and in having the additional lines of pores above indicated; though these
last may have been accidentally left unnoticed. It requires the examination oi
more specimens to determine whether these differences result from a difference
in species or not.
F a m i ly .— LABRID®.
C o s s y p h u s D a r w in i. Jen.
P l a t e X X .
C. corpore elongato-ovali ; capite grandi, fronte elevato, rostro ex hoc declivi : caninis
quatuorfortibus ad apicem utriusque maxillcz, ad ángulos oris nullis ; dentibus late-
ralihus conicis; interius, adlaterapalati, granisplurimis minutis ohtusis: preoperculo,
limbo excepto, operculo, et inter operculo, squamatis ; preoperculo margine integro :
rostro, maxillis, et suborbitalibus ante oculos, nudis: lined laterali subrectá : pinna
dorsali parte spinosa humili, spinis ad apices laciniatis ; molli, heic respondentc
anali, duplè altiore, sub-acuminata : caudali (squali, solum radiis exterioribus
aliis paulo longioribus.
D. 12/10 ; A, 3/12 ; C. 14, & c. ; P . 17 ; V. 1/5.
L o n g . u n c . 19.
a