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su p ra - s c a p u la r a n d liu n ie ra l b o n e s , a n d th e u p p e r ed g e o f th e m em b r a n e is c o n c a v e , a s is u s u a l w ith th e S c o r p a n a , T r ig la , &c. T h e g ill-o p e n in g is am p le , e x te n d in g from th e p o in t o f th e s u p r a - s c a p u la r o b liq u e ly fo rw a rd s to th e th ro a t. T h e m em b r a n e is su s ta in e d b y s ix ro u g h is h , s le n d e r ra y s . I ts w id th is e q u a l to th e l e n g th o f th e g ill-co v e r, a n d its a t ta c hm e n t to th e is thm u s is o p p o s ite to th e h in d e r p a r t o f th e o rb it. T h e b o n e s o f th e h um e r a l c h a in a re p a r tia lly r o u g h . T h e la rg e ro im d e d p e c to ra ls a re rem a rk a b ly s e s s ile , h a v in g n o p e d ic le w h a tev e r. T h e y c o n ta in tw en ty ra y s , e x c lu s iv e o f a s h o r t a d iia te o n e ab o v e , a ll o f w h ich a r e m o re o r le s s fo rk ed . T h e c o n n e c tin g m em b ra n e is d e lic a te . T h e v e n tr a ls a r e a t ta c h e d we ll b e fo re th e p e c to ra ls . T h e i r f ir s t th r e e jo in te d ra y s a re th ic k e n e d a t th e tip s , a n d w ith th e s h o r te r sp in o u s r a y a re e n v e lo p e d in th ic k in te g um e n t. T h e two la s t r a y s a re b r a n c h e d as u s u a l. T h e f ir s t d o r s a l, h ig h a n d tr ia n g u la r , is su p p o r te d b y s le n d e r ra y s , w h ic h a re p a r tia lly ro u g h e n e d b y a c u te g ra in s . T h e s e c o n d a n d th i r d ra y s a re th e ta lle s t, a n d e x c e e d th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y . I t s f ir s t r a y s ta n d s o v e r th e t ip o f th e g ill-co v e r, a n d a li t t le b e h in d th e v e n tra ls . T h e s e c o n d d o r s a l, w h ic h is low e r, lo n g e r, a n d e v e n , is su p p o r te d b y th irty -fiv e s e ta c e o u s r a y s , co v e red b y ro u g h in te g um e n t. T h e r a y s a p p e a r to b e s im p le , b u t , o n c lo se e x am in a tio n , th e y w e re a ll fo u n d to b e jo in te d , a n d to h a v e a d a rk lin e d ow n th e i r m id d le s . T h e sp a c e b e tw e e n th e f ir s t a n d s e c o n d d o r s a ls is e q u a l to a b o u t tw o - th ird s o f th e b a s e o f th e form e r. T h e a n a l fin h a s m u c h re s em b la n c e to th a t o f a T r a c h in u s . I t is s u p p o r te d b y th ir ty jo in t e d r a y s , w h o s e tip s a re fre e , a n d i t h a s n o sp in e . I t c om m e n c e s b e n e a th th e s e v e n th ra y o f th e s e c o n d d o rs a l, a n d r e a c h e s a little b e y o n d t h a t fin. T h e c a u d a l, w h ic h i s r a th e r sm a ll, a n d ev e n a t th e e n d , c o n ta in s tw e n ty -th re e r a y s , v iz ., e lev en o f th e fu ll le n g th , a n d th e r e s t g ra d u a te d a b o v e a n d b e low . T h e la te r a l lin e ru n s p a ra lle l to th e b a c k , a n d ve ry n e a r i t , a n d is a rm e d b y e ig h ty - th r e e sm a ll s a d d le - sh a p e d s h ie ld s to m idw a y b e tw e e n th e e n d o f th e s e c o n d d o rs a l a n d th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l. I t is th e r e in te r ru p te d , th e s h o r t lowe r p o r tio n c om m e n c in g a l ittle fu rth e r fo rw a rd , or o p p o s ite to th e e n d o f th e a n a l fin, a n d e n d in g a t th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l, b e tw e e n th e two m id d le r a y s . T h i s p a r t is a rm e d b y tw e lv e sh ie ld s , m a k in g n in e ty -fiv e in a ll. A ll th e s h ie ld s a re ro u g h , a n d th e y d im in ish c g ra d u a lly , a s th e y r e c e d e from th e s h o u ld e r. O n th e m id d le lin e o f th e s id e , w h e re th e m u s c le s d e c u s s a te , th e re a re fo u r o r five ro u n d s h ie ld s , o f a s im ila r s tru c tu r e , p la c e d a t ir r e g u la r d is ta n c e s , a n d v a ry in g in s iz e a n d n um b e r in d iffe ren t sp e c im en s . T h e r e a re n o o th e r s c a le s . T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r o f a sp e c im e n p r e s e rv e d in s p ir its is p u rp lis h -b row n , v a r ie d b y n um e ro u s ro u n d , o r o b lo n g , a n a s tom o s in g d a rk sp o ts . T h e u n d e r su rfa c e o f th e fish, in c lu d in g th e a n a l fin , is p a le y e llow , o r w h ite . T h e o th e r v e rtic a l fin s , a n d th e p e c to r a ls , h a v e le a d e n co lo u red m em b ra n e s , w ith d a rk ra y s . T h e v e n tr a ls a re p a r tia lly d a rk . T h e s tom a c h is m o d e ra te ly la rg e , a n d o f a n o v o id form, th e fu n d u s b e in g o b tu s e . A n a s c e n d in g b r a n c h , h a v in g a b o u t a q u a r te r o f th e c a p a c ity o f th e b o d y o f th e s tom a ch , s e p a ra te s from i t a t its u p p e r th ird . T h e w a lls a re th ic k , a n d , to g e th e r w ith th e s h o r t oe so p h a g u s , a re c o a r s e ly p la ite d in te rio rly . C lo s e b e n e a th th e n a rrow p y lo ru s th e r e a re two w id e , s h o r t cæ c a , th e low e r o f w h ic h is tw ic e a s lo n g a s th e o n e w h ic h ris e s from th e u p p e r s id e o f th e g u l. T h e c a n a l is w id e n e a r th e s tom a c h , b u t g r a d u a lly d im in is lie s in c a p a c ity till i t c om e s n e a r th e an u s , w h e n i t w id e n s a little a g a in . T lie g u t m a k e s o n e c om p le te c o n v o lu tio n , w h ic h r e a c h e s Ih v e e -fo u rth s o f th e d is ta n c e from llie p y lo ru s to th e an u s , a n d r e tu rn in g b a c k a g a in , la k e s a s tr a ig h t c o u rs e to th e v e n t. T h e o v a rie s a re sh o r t, w id e , co rd ifo rm s a c s , u n ite d a t th e n e c k , to form th e o v id u c t. T h e y c o n ta in e d , in th e sp e c im e n w h ich w a s e x am in e d , m a n y sm a ll eg g s , a n d a few la rg e r o n e s , a b o u t th e s iz e o f a sw a n - sh o t. D o r s a d o f th e n e c k o f th e ov a ry th e re is a sh o r t, w id e , fo rk ed , o r b r e e c h e s - s h a p e d u r in a ry b la d d e r. T b e g e n ita l p a p illa is sm a ll, c o n ic a l, a n d e n tire . T h e liv e r, a fte r m a c e r a tio n in sp ir its , was w h ite a n d so ft, a n d a s fa r a s c o u ld b e a s c e r ta in e d , w a s e n tir e , o r m e re ly with a sm a ll lo b e a t its u p p e r en d . I t c o v e rs th e v e n tr a l su rfa c e o f th e r ig h t h a l f o f th e s tom a c h . T h e b r a n c h ia l a rc h e s a re four, a u d a re a rm e d e x te r io r ly w ith a row o f sm a ll, s e s s ile , b r is tly w a rts . A few s c a tte r e d w a rts o n ly a re to b e fo u n d o n th e in n e r su rfa c e s , n e a r th e b e n d o f th e a r c h . T h e low e r lim b o f e a c h a r c h is b y m u c h th e lo n g e s t, a n d ru n s f a r fo rw a rd b e tw e e n th e lim b s o f th e low e r jaw . T h e u p p e r a n d u n d e r p h a g e a l b o n e s a re s e t w ith sm a ll, s u b u la te , c u rv e d te e th . T h e s tom a c h c o n ta in e d a h a lf-d ig e s te d fish. H a b . T h e k e lp -w e e d o n th e sh o re s o f K e rg u e le n ’s lan d . T h e sp e c im e n s w e re c a u g h t b y th e h ook. DIMENSIONS. L en g th from inte rm ax illa ry symphysis to extremity of c a u d . l l i n ........................................................................... 18-20 inches. „ eu d o f an al lo'SO „ ” „ en d of second d ò m i 15-25 „ beg in n in g of anal fin”......................................................................................... }0-25 beg in n in g of p ita l spine...................................... pectorals ... first d o rsal.. ventrals........ tip o f gilltip o f occifore edge of arliexilation o f lower jaw ............................................................................... Diamete r o f o rb it.......................................................................... B re ad th between e y e s ..........................................................••••• „ tips o f maxillaries, (mouth extended) „ o f h in d h e a d ................................................................. 8-50 6-50 6-70 of shoulder .... H e ig h t o f n ape .............. „ first d o r s a l.... „ second d itto , „ a n a l.................. Len g th of p e c to ra l.......... „ v e n tr a ls . „ c au d a l ........... 4-20 1-00 1--22 4-60 2-20 2-35 2-80 3-50 1-40 1-00 2-85 2-85 1-56 P a g e t o d e s . T h . TTwysTwisi, g e lu a d s ir ic tu s . P la te V I I I ., fig. 3 , n a tu r a l siz e . W h e n th e s h ip s we re in th e h ig h la titu d e o f 7 7 ° 1 0 ' S., a n d lo n g . 178|-°, a fish was th row n u p b y th e sp ra y in a g a le o f w in d , a g a in s t th e b ow s o f th e T e r ro r , a n d fro z e n the re . I t w a s c a re fu lly rem o v e d , fo r th e p u rp o s e o f p r e s e rv a tio n , a n d a ro u g h s k e tc h w a s m a d e o f i t b y th e s u r g eo n , J o h n R o b e r ts o n , E s q ., b u t b e fo re i t c o u ld b e p u t in to sp irits , a c a t c a r r ie d i t aw a y from h is c a b in , a u d a te it. T h e sk e tc h is n o t su ffic ien tly d e ta ile d to sh ow e ith e r th e n um b e r o r n a tu r e o f th e g ill a n d fin ra y s , o r w h e th e r th e skin was s c a ly o r n o t, so th a t ev en th e o rd e r to w h ic h th e fish b e lo n g s is u n c e r ta in ; a n d w e h a v e in tro d u c e d a c o p y o f th e d e s ig n , m e re ly to p r e s e rv e a m em o ria l o f w h a t a p p e a r s to b e a n o v e l fo rm , d is c o v e re d u n d e r su c h p e c u lia r c irc um s ta n c e s . T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r o f th e b o d y is p a le b lu e ; m u c h o f th e h e a d , a n d th e v e r tic a l b a n d s a re d a rk n e u tr a l tin t, a n d m in u te d a rk s p e c k s a re s c a tte r e d o v e r th e bo d y a n d c a u d a l fin. T h e fo llow io g m e a su r em e n ts we re n o te d . Ex treme le n g th ........................................ Len g th o f head to tip o f gill-cover... „ m o u th .................................... „ pectoral f in ........................... B readth of d itto, when expanded ... Len g th o f ventrals ............................... Bre ad th of caudal f iu ........................... Diameter o f body, nearly .................. „ small p a rt of tail ........ . 6 i inches. C h e ir o n e c t e s p ic t u s . C u v ie r. V a r. v it t a t u s . P l a t e IX ., figs. 3 , 4 , n a tn r a l siz e . A s in g le s p e c im e n o f th is fish w a s o b ta in e d in th e A tla n tic , o n a fie ld o f S a rg a s so s e a -w e e d , o n th e 4 th o f A u g u s t, 1843. I t is in e x c e lle n t p re s e rv a tio n , a n d from th e r ig id ity o f its e x p a n d e d fin s , a n d th e s tiffn e s s o f its p ro b a b ly p lu n g e d , w h ile s till a liv e , in to s tro n g s p ir its . T h i s h a s e n a b le d th e a r t i s t to m ak e a c o r r e c t d e lin e a tio n o f it, a n d o n th a t a c c o u n t w e p u b lis h th e fig u re , th o u g h r a tin g th e fish o n ly a s a v a r ie ty o f a w e ll- k n ow n sp e c ie s. T h e b o d y is r a th e r h ig h e r th a n t h a t o f p ic tu s , a s r e p r e s e n te d in p la te 3 6 4 o f th e H i s to i r e d e s P o is so n s , a n d th e filam e n ts a re b ro a d e r, a n d m u c h m o re n um e ro u s . I t a ^ e c s w ith th e d e s c r ip tio n o f th e Ch e iro n e c te s la v ig a tu s o f th e sam e w o rk , in th e s le n d e rn e s s o f th e f irs t free d o rs a l ray , w h ic h h a s a sm a ll, sp o n g y , g lo b u la r tip , a n d in th e m o re co n tin u o u s d a rk m a rk in g s o f th e b o d y , b u t D r . M itc h ill’s fig u re o f L o p h iu s gibbu^s,* w h ic h is re fe rred b y M. V a le n c ie n n e s to la v ig a tu s , h a s m o r e re s em b la n c e to th e p i c tu s o f th e H is to ir e d e s P o isso n s, th a n to o u r fish. I h e skin o f v i t ta tu s is sm o o th to th e to u c h , a n d a p p e a rs p o lish e d to th e n a k e d ey e , b u t u n d e r a le n s o f m o d e ra te pow e r i t is se e n to b e g r a n u la te d w ith soft, c o n tig u o u s , ro u n d e d em in e n c e s , w h ich a lso e x is t o n th e b a s e s o f th e * P h il. T ran s, o f New York, 1 , pi. 6, f. 9. fins. T h e fin m em b r a n e s a re n o t th ic k , a n d p e rm i t th e s le n d e r r a y s to b e e a s ily s e en . R a v s :— D . 3(— 1 2 ; A. 7 ; C. 9 ; P . 11 ;* V. 5. A ll th e ra y s o f th e s e c o n d d o r s a l a n d a n a l a r e jo in te d , b u t th e f ir s t n in e o f th e form e r, a n d o n ly th e firs t o n e o f tb e la tte r , a re s im p le , th e o th e r s b e in g fo rk ed . T h e ra y e d p a r t o f th e p e c to r a l fo n n s a n a n g le w ith its s u p p o r tin g a rm, so th a t th e w h o le le n g th o f th e fin is o n ly tw o - th ird s o f th e sum o f th e two p a r ts , s e p a r a te ly m e a su re d . T h e g ill- o p e n in g is s itu a te d in th e a x illa o f th e p e c to r a l a rm , on its u n d e r sid e . T h e n um b e r a n d p o s itio n o f th e filam e n ts m a y b e e a s ily m a d e o u t from th e fig u re , w ith o u t a d e ta ile d d e s c r ip tio n . T h e co lo u rs o f th e sp e c im e n in sp irits a re r e d d ish -w h ite , w ith b lu is h -b la c k m a rk in g s , e d g e d a n d sp o tte d w ith m ilk - white . I n th e ir d is tr ib u tio n o n th e b o d y a n d ta il, th e y a re n o t w ith o u t re s em b la n c e to th o s e o f C h e iro n e c te s m a rm o r a tu s , b ro u g h t b y L e s so n from th e c o a s t o f New G u in e a ,t a n d a re s till more lik e th o s e o f th e B a u d r o ie G éo g ra p h iq u e , o f th e Voyage d a F r e y c in e t, p la n c h e 6 5 , J ig . 3. d im e n s io n s . Lensrtli from the upper lip to extremity o f caudal fin ... 2 ‘82 inches. anus ...................................... 1-42 „ „ „ edge of preoperculum l io „ Height of the body at the ventrals 1-25 „ Thickness of ditto at the pectorals 0‘70 „ Length of the pectoral arm 0 '6 0 „ „ rays 60 „ „ „ caudal fm 0-82 „ H a b . F ie ld s o f s e a -w e ed in th e T ro p ic a l A tla n tic . C h e ir o n e c t e s t r is ig n a t u s . R ic h a rd s o n . C h . S pec. C h . h is p id a s , c ir c um s c r ip iio n e la té r a le o va to ; f a s c ia h u n ie r a li, e t f a s c i a a n n u la r i c a u d a la c lé i s ; p u n c h e s t r ib u s , r o tu n d is , n ig r e s c e n tib u s in u tro q u e la te r e ; p i n n d c a u d a m ed io fa s c i a t d ,f e n e s t r a t im p u n c - ta id . R a d ii D . Sj— 13 ; A. 7 ; C . 9 ; P . 9 ; V . 5. P la te IX ., fig. 1. T h is is a h is p id C h e iro n e c te s , w h ic h I h a v e n o t b e e n a b le to re fe r to a n y d e s c r ib e d sp e c ie s . T h e m em b e rs o f th i s g ro u p h a v e a s tro n g lik e n e s s to e a c h o th e r , a n d m a n y o f th em h a v e d a rk s p o ts o n th e s id e s , o r fins, b u t d iffe re n tly a r r a n g e d from th o s e o f th is fish , w h ic h h a s th re e on e a c h s id e : o n e o n th e b a s e o f th e d o r s a l, n e a r its m id d le ; o n e im m e d ia te ly b e n e a th , o v e r tb e a n u s , a n d th e th i rd d ir e c tly a b o v e th e p e c to r a l arm. I n th e c e n tr e o f th e s e th r e e th e r e is a m ilk y b lo tc h . T h e r e is a lso a n irreg u la i w h ite m o ttle d b a n d , w h ic li d e s c e n d s with a fo rw a rd b e n d , from tb e sp a c e b e tw e e n th e s e c o n d d o r s a l, a n d th e th ird a n te r io r r a y to th e p e c to r a l a rm , w h ic h i t in c lu d e s . A s im ila r b a n d en c irc le s th e s lum p o f th e ta il, a n d in c lu d e s th e p o s te rio r e d g e s o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l. T h e g ro u n d * I t is by an oversight th a t twelve rays are given to the p e ctoral in ■f Voyuge de la Coquille.