la rg e s t. T h e p re o p e rc u lum is v e rtic a l, c u rv e d in th e a rc
o i a c irc le , w ith o u t a n y u n d e r lim b . T h e in te ro p e rc u lum ,
t r ia n g u la r a n d sm a ll, lie s w h o lly b e h in d th e lim b o f th è
p r e o p e rc u lum . T h e g ill-c o v e r is la rg e . T h e o p e rc u lum
IS s em i-o rb ic u la r , a p p ro a c h in g to h e a r t- s h a p e d , a n d is
c ro s s e d b y a fu rrow a b o v e its m id d le . T h e su b o p e r cu
lum IS n o t q u ite Iw o - th ird s le s s , a u d forms, a s u su a l, th e
tip o f th e g ill-p la te . I t s a p e x is m a rk e d b y five m in u te
te e th , w ith iu rrow s nm n in g b a c kw a rd from b e tw e e n th em
fo r a s h o r t d is ta n c e . T h e d isk o f th e g ill-p la te is c o v e red
by la rg e s c a le s , b u t som e a p p e a r to h av e fa lle n fi-om o u r
sp e c iu ie u s .
T h e h e a d m a k e s o n e -fo u rlh o f th e to ta l le n g th o f th e
fish , a n d th e h e ig h t o f th e h e a d m e a su re s a b o u t o n e -fifth
o f th e s am e d i s t p c e . T h e th ic k n e s s o f th e b o d y is e q u a l
to a b o u t tw o - lh ird s o f its h e ig h t a n te rio rly . T h e c U -
p r c s s io n a u gm e n ts p o s te rio rly . T h e b a c k is ro u n d e d off,
b u t th e d o rs a l s ta n d s on a sm a ll rid g e . T h e r e is a fla t
sp a c e b e h in d th e a d ip o s e fin, w h ic h s e em s to h a v e b e e n
o c c u p ie d b v a so ft g la n d u la r su b s ta n c e , lik e th a t on th e
fo reh e ad T h e b e lly is a lso o b tu s e , ancl a f la ttish sp a c e
e x is ts b e fo re th e v en lra ls .
T h e p e c to ra l fin s re a c h to th e an u s , b e in g lai-ger th a n
n io s e ol a n y M e d ite r ra n e a n M y c to p h um d e s c r ib e d b y th e
P r in c e o f M u s ig n a n o . T h e v e n tra ls a re p la c e d m idw ay
b e tw e e n th e tip o f th e s n o u t a n d e n d o f th e an a l, a n d th e
h r s t d o rs a l c om m en c e s im m e d ia te ly o v e r th em . T h e ad i-
Uam ra js*^ fibrous, b u t d o e s n o t p o s s e s s th e ru d im e n ts o f
T h e s c a le s c om p o s in g th e la te r a l lin e a re ova l, with a
s h o r t p ro je c tio n in th e m id d le o f o n e e d g e , a n d a s im p le
tu b e o n th e d isk . T h e a x is o f th e ova l is v e rtic a l, a n d
tn e s c a le s a re c o n sp ic u o u s am o n g th e o th e rs ; th e r e a re
a b o u t th irty -fiv e in a ll, th e n um b e r b e tw e e n th e a n u s a n d
c a u d a b e in g e x a c tly tw e n ty -th re e . T h e o th e r s c a le s a re
i r r e p l a r l y o rb ic u la r , a n d m o re o r le s s o b liq u e , a c c o rd in e
to th e i r p o s itio n . T h e ir fre e e d g e s a r e e n tire , a u d th e ir
b a s e s show two o r th r e e s lig h t lo b e s , w ith a c o rre sp o n d in g
n um b e r o f f a in t d iv e rg in g fun-ows.
_ T h e b o d y is o rn am e n te d w ith m an y sp o ts , e a c h o f w hich
IS c om p o s e d o f a ro u n d o p a l-lo o k in g d o t, s e t in a b la c k
b o rd e r , a n d th e y sh in e w ith m u c h lu s tr e th ro u g h th e
s c a le s th a t c o v e r th em . A row , c o n ta in in g five o f th e s e
s p o ts , cm s s e s th e n a p e from o n e su p r a - s c a p u la r to th e
o th e r . I h e r e is o n e so lita ry s p o t in th e g ill-p la te , w h e re
th e o p e rc u lum o v e rla p s th e su b o p e rc u lum , a n d a n o th e r o ne
on th e in te ro p e rc u lum . On a lev e l w ith th is la s t th e re
lo llow s o ne o n th e c o r a c o id b o n e , a n o th e r o n th e b a s e
o f th e p e c to r a l, a n d th re e m o re o n th e flan k s b e h in d th a t
fin , th e row te n iiin a tin g ov e r th e a n u s . T w o sp o ts o c c u r
o u th e s c a le s o f th e la te r a l lin e , b e n e a th th e tu b e s , o n e o f
th em o v e r th e a n u s , a n d th e o th e r ov e r th e m id d le o f th e
a n a l fin. T w e lv e e x is t o n e a c h s id e o f th e v e n tra l su rfa c e o f
th e h s h , b e g in n in g a t th e low e r jaw , w h ich lia s th r e e on
e a c h hm b , a n d e n d in g a t th e an u s . T h e r e a re s ev en te en
o r e ig h te e n in a row, w h ich ru n s a lo n g th e b a s e o f th e
a n a l, a n d a s h o r t w ay b e y o n d it. A lso tw o c lo s e to ih e b a s e
of th e low e r lo b e of th e c a u d a l ou e a c h side. L a s tly , th e re
IS a s in g le mc.sial o n e o n th e u p p e r su rfa c e o f th e ta il
c o n tig u o u s to th e c a u d a l. ’
F o u r s p e c ie s a rc d e s c r ib e d in th e F a u n a I ta l ic a , a n d
w ith n o n e o f th e s e is th is sp e c ie s lik e ly to b e co n fo u n d ed .
I t s p e c to r a ls e x c e e d th e ir s co n s id e ra b ly in s iz e . T h e ey e
IS lik ew is e m u c h lai-ger, a n d th e d o rs a l m o re o n th e sum -
m it o f th e d o rs a l c u rv e th a n m M y c to p h um p u n c ta tu m ,
w h ile th e fo re h e a d is m u c h loss h ig h a n d p r e c ip ito u s th a n
th e fa c e s o f th e th r e e o th e rs .
L e n g th , 4 ^ in c h e s .
H a b. T h e s e a b e tw e e n A u s tr a lia a n d N ew Z e a la n d .
M y c t o p h u m c o r u sc a n s . R ic h a rd so n .
C h . SPEC. M y c t. v a ld é com p r e s sum ; lo n g itu d in e c a p itis
a l td u d in e q im co rp o ris icqu a lib iis q u a r tam p a r tem lonqi-
tu d in i s a d in i h u m p in n a c a u d a a q u a n t ib u s ; oculo
mo d ico s u p e r m e d ium r ic tu m o ris g r a n d iu s c u lum p o s ito ;
a p p a r a tu lu c id o f r o n t a l i vL x u llo v e l a d r eq io n e s
n a r tu m r e s tr ic to , ib iq u e c a r in a osseá. m e d ia n á d iv iso.
R a d i i : — D . 1 2 ; A. 2 0 ; C. 1 7 | ; P . 1 7 ; V. 8 .
P l a t e X X V IL , figs 1— 5 in c lu s iv e .
Olí a d r aw in g o f th is sp e c ie s , b y D r. H o o k e r, th e r e is a
n o te , s ta tin g t h a t it was ta k e n , a t in te rv a ls , b e tw e e n St.
H e le n a a n d th e I s la n d o f A s c e n s io n , in th e e v e n in g , o r
d u rin g th e n i g h t ; a n d in th e jo u r n a l o f th e s am e o b se rv e r,
1 fin d a re c o rd o f th is , a n d M y c to p h um boops, h a v in g b e e n
ta k e n on th e 10th o f A u g u s t, 1841, b e tw e e n A u s tra lia a n d
N ew Z e a la n d , in th e n ig h t tim e , o n ly w h en th e E n tom o s -
tr a c a a n d o th e r m a rin e C ru s ta c e a o n wh ich th e y fe ed
c om e m o s t a b u n d a n tly to th e surfa c e .
T h e M e d ite rra n e a n s p e c ie s to w h ich th is fish b e a rs th e
n e a r e s t r e s em b la n c e , is th e M y c to p h um p u n c ta tu m , b o th
in g e n e ra l form, a n d in th e sm a lln e s s o f th e s h in in g fro n ta l
a p p a r a tu s . I t is a m u c h more c om p re s s ed fish th a n th e
p r e c e d in g , p a r tic u la r ly p o s te rio rly , w h e re i t ta p e r s m u ch
in to th e v e ry s le n d e r ta il. T h e eye is a l ittle rem oved
from th e p ro file , a n d is p la c e d r a th e r b e fo re th e m id d le of
th e c le ft o f th e m o u th . T h e in te ro rb ita l sp a c e is c o n v e x
w ith o u t a n y a p p e a r a n c e o f th e g la n d u la r s u b s ta n c e , which
s e em s to b e c o n fin e d to th e im m e d ia te b o rd e r o f e a ch
n o s ln l. An e le v a te d a c u te m e s ia l lin e s e p a r a te s o n e n a s a l
p rom in e n c e from th e o th e r. T h e p re o p e rc u lum slo p e s
m o d e ra te ly b a ckw a rd s . T h e v c u lra ls a re a tta c h e d a t tlie
c om m e n c em e n t o f th e se co n d th ird o f th e le n g th o f th e
fish , c a u d a l e x c lu d e d . T h e d o rs a l com m en c e s a little
b e h in d th em ; a n d th e u p])e r su rfa c e o f th e ta il, b e h in d th e
a d ip o s e f ill, is co v e red b y s ix c o n v e x s c a le s , w ith o u t th e
Hat s u r ^ c e o r g la n d u la r a p p a r a tu s o f th e p r e c e d in g sp e c
ie s . T h e p o s te r io r ra y s o f th e do rsa l a n d ana l a re div id ed
to th e b a s e . T lie re a re n o sp in e s a t th e b a s e o f th e
c a u d a l, n o r a p p a r e n tly a n y g la n d u la r su b s ta n c e on th e
u p p e r ed g e of th e ta il b e twe en th e a d ip o s e a n d c a u d a l
fins._ T h e s c a le s a re u n d u la te d , a n d very irre g u la rly a n d
sp a rin g ly to o th e d o n th e free e d g e , a n d h av e a b o u t th re e
b a s a l furrows. T h o se wh ich c om p o s e th e la te r a l lin e , b e in g
Ííiw ) T he sp o ts a re d is tr ib u te d n e a rly a s iu M q c lo p h um boops
T h e r e a re e ig h te e n ov e r th e a n a l, e x c lu s iv e o f th e two a t
th e b a s e o f th e c a u d a l.
O n ly a s in g le row o f m in u te te e th c an b e se en on th e
edge o f th e jaw s ; th e e x te r io r g r a n u la r o r s h o r t villiform
s trip e , i f i t e x is ts , b e in g in v is ib le to th e e y e , a id e d b y a
good len s. T h e te e th o n th e ch e v ro n o f th e vom e r a n d
ed g e s o f th e p a la te h o n e s a re m o re d is tin c t th a n th o s e o n
th e jaw s , a n d form a b ro a d e r lin e , a s i f th e r e were tw o o r
th re e rows. N o g r a n u la r p a tc h e s c a n b e d is co v e red o n th e
d isk o f th e p a la te bo n e .
L e n g th , 2|- in c h e s .
H a b . T h o S o u th e rn A tla n tic a n d A u s tr a lia n O c e au s.
M y c t o p h u m a s p e r u m . R ic h a rd s o n .
C h . S p e c . M y c t. com p r e s sum , c a u d d g r a c ili, su p e r n e p o s t
p in n a m a d ip o sa n i p la n a ; r i c tu o r is g ra n d iu s c u lo p a -
r um u l t r a o cu lum m a g n um J is so ; a p p a r a tu lu c id o
e n a r ib u s in m e d ium sp a tium in te ro c u la r em e x t e n s o ;
a l titu d in e co rp o ris q u in ta m p a r tem lo n g iiu d in is to tiu s
a q u a n ti ; s q u am is e ro so -d e n tic u la tis .
R a d i i :— D . 1 4 ; A. 1 8 ; C. 1 9 | ; P . 1 6 ; V, 8 .
P la te X X V IL , figs. 13, 14, 15.
P ro file ve ry o b tu s e in fro n t. S h o u ld e r s n o t so much
com p re ssed a s th o s e o f M y c t. c o ru s c a n s ; th e ir th ic k n e s s
is a b o u t h a l f ih e ir h e ig h t, w h ich a g a in is eq u a l to a b o u t
one-fifth o f th e to ta l le n g th . T h e le n g th o f th e h e a d is
g re a te r th a n th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y . T h e ey e is la rg e ,
a n d is m ore th a n its own d iam e te r rem o v ed from th e gill-
o p en in g , b e in g n e a r th e p ro file o f th e sn o u t. I t s d iam e te r
is co n ta in e d tw o - a n d - a -h a lf tim e s in th e le n g th o f th e
h e a d . T h e la rg e g a p e p a s s e s a little b e y o n d th e ey e , a n d
th e p re o p e rc u lum in c lin e s s lig h tly b a ckw a rd s .
M in u te s e ta c eo u s te e th form a n ev en row on th e m a rg in
o f b o th jaw s , a n d b y tb e h e lp o f a le n s , tw o o r th re e rows
o f very m in u te a c u te te e lh m ay b e s e e n o n th e c o n v e x
surfa c e , e x te r io r to th e p r in c ip a l row . T h e sam e m ic ro sc
o p ic a l te e th a re s e en , b u t m u c h le s s d is tin c tly , on th e
u p p e r j aw . S e v e ra l row s o f s e ta c e o u s te e th a re v is ib le to
th e n a k e d ey e o n th e c h ev ro n o f th e v om e r a n d ed g e s o f
th e p a la te b o n e s , a n d a p a tc h o f g r a n u la r m ic ro s co p ic a l
te e lh cove rs th e c o n v e x p la te o f th e p a la te bones.
T h e sh in in g a p p a r a tu s re a c h e s from th e m id d le o f th e
orb its fo rw a rd to ro u n d th e n o s tr ils . I t is su p p o r te d b y
th in p la te s o f b o n e , wh ich ris e from th e os f r o n t i s , a n d b y
othe rs which form c e lls in th e n a s a l re g io n s ; th e re is also
a low m e sia l k e e l b e tw e e n tb e n o s trils .
T h e v en tra ls a re a t ta c h e d we ll b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e
fish, b e in g midway b e tw e e n th e sn o u t a n d e n d o f th e ana l
fin. T h e d o rsa l c om m en c e s ov e r th em .
T h e la te r a l lin e c o n ta in s tliirly -s e v e n o r th ir ty - e ig h t
sc a le s, w h ich a re s lig h tly to o th e d o n th e e x te r io r ed g e .
T h e o th e r sc a le s a re m o re d e ep ly to o th e d , th e te e th b e in g
re a d ily v is ib le to tho n a k e d ey e , a n d r e n d e r in g th e fish
ro u g h to th e to u c h . [V id e figs. 14 a n d 15).
T h e o p a l or p e a r ly d o ts a re d is tr ib u te d a s in th e two
sp e c ie s a lre a d y m e n tio n e d , e x c e p t th a t th e r e a re o n ly f o u rte
en above th e a n a l fin, e x c lu s iv e o f th e u su a l two o n th e
low e r b a s e o f th e c a u d a l fin.
L e n g th , in c h .
H a b . ---------------
M y c t o p h u m h ia n s . R ic h a rd s o n .
C h . S p e c . M y c t . ore la x is s im o ; p i n n d d o r s i p o s t v e n tr
a le s in c ip ie n t i ; p i n n d a n i lo n g â ; a l t i tu d in e co rp o ris
q u in tam p a r tem lo n g itu d in is to tiu s a q u a n t i ; c a u d d
g r a c illim d , e lo n g a td .
R a d i i . — D . 1 4 ; A. 2 2 ; C . 2 2 ; P . 1 5 ; V. 8 .
P la te X X V IL , figs. 19, 2 0 , 21.
T h i s speeie.s h a s a g a p e a s w id e a s L a m p a n y c tu s , a n d
th e d o rs a l p la c e d f a r th e r b a c k th a n i s u su a l in M y c to p h um ,
w ith a lo n g e r an a l. I t p o s s e s s e s th e com m o n c la v a te o u tlin
e , w ith a n o b tu s e fo re h e a d , a n d ve ry s le n d e r ta il. T h e
h e ig h t o f th e b o d y e q u a ls one -fifth o f th e to ta l le n g th ,
c a u d a l in c lu d e d . T h e s h o r t d o rs a l s ta n d s b e tw e e n th e
v e n tr a ls a n d a n a l, a n d th e to p o f th e ta il, b e h in d th e
m in u te a d ip o s e fin, is f la ttish , a n d e x h ib its a row o f b r ig h t
sp e c k s la te r a lly , c o rr e sp o n d in g to th e n um b e r o f th e s c a le s
th a t co v e r it. T h e an a l fiu is p ro p o r tio n a lly lo n g .
One h a l f o f th e ga jie is b e h in d th e e y e , a u d th e p r e o p e r cu
lum h a s a c o rr e sp o n d in g in c lin a tio n b a c kw a rd s . T h e
m a x illa r ie s a re ve ry s le n d e r , w ith m e r e ly a s lig h t ova l
d ila ta tio n a t th e ir en d s . T e e th on th e jaw s s u b u la te ,
s le n d e r, a n d a c u te ; th re e row s on tb e low e r jaw , a n d two
on th e in te rm a x illa rie s . T h e r e is n o t m u c h d iffe re n c e in
th e ir h e ig h t, b u t th e row w h ic h is o n th e ed g e o f th e jaw
a p p e a r s ta lle r w h en h e ld u p to th e lig h t. T h e r e is a sin g le
row o n th e ed g e o f th e p a la te b o n e s , lik e th o s e o f th e jaw ,
a n d tw o o r th r e e ir r e g u la r row s o f g r a n u la r te e th a t its
b a s e . N o n e were d is c o v e re d o n th e c h e v ro n o f th e
vomer.
T h e s c a le s o f th e la te r a l lin e a re n a rrow e r, h ig h e r, a n d
m o re n um e ro u s th a n in th e o th e r s p e c ie s , b e in g fo rty -o n e ,
a n d th e r e is o n ly o n e c om p le te row a b o v e th em , w h ile in
th e p r e c e d in g M y c lo p h i th e r e a re two. T h e r e s t o f th e
s c a le s a re ro u n d ish , w ith th e b a s e le s s cu rv e d , a n d c ro s s ed
b y fo u r o r five furrow s. (F ig . 20, 21.)
I am u n a b le to d e s c rib e th e s h in in g a p p a r a tu s o n th e
fo re h e a d , th e jaw s h a v in g com e aw a y’ wv h ile th e spei
w a s in th e a r tis t’s h a n d s , b e fo re I h a d p ro p e r ly e x am in e d
e s p e c im e n
th em . T h e r e s e em ed to b e , h ow ev e r, a sm a ll me sia l c r e s t
b e tw e e n th e ey e s , a n d a n o th e r b e tw e en th e n o s tr ils ; a n d
it is p ro b a b le th a t th e g la n d u la r m a tte r w a s d e p o s ite d o n
e a c h s id e o f th em . T h e to p o f th e ta il b e tw e e n th e a d ip
o s e fin a n d c au d a l is flat, a n d is cov e red w ith a n a c ry
m a tte r.
T h e r e a re n in e te e n b r ig h t o p a l d o ts ov e r th e a n a l, two,
a s u su a l, o n th e low e r b a s e o f th e c a u d a l, a n d th e o th e rs
w h ich we o b se rv e in th e r e s t o f th e O c e an ic M y c lo p h i.
L e n g th , two in ch e s .
I e x am in e d th e in te s tin e s o f o n e o f th e sm a ll sp e c im e n s ,
b u t i t w a s too m u ch d e c a y e d for m e to a s c e r ta in th e s p e c
ie s. T h e g u lle t is na rrow , b e low w h ic h a w id e r c y lin d
r ic a l lu b e d e s c e n d s , to u n ite with a n a s c e n d in g p y lo r ic
b r a n c h o f e q u a l siz e . M o re th a n h a l f th e le n g th o f th e
stom a ch lie s b e n e a th th e ir ju n c tio n , iu form o f a c o n ic a l
sa c , wh ich was ve ry d a rk - c o lo u r e d , from its co n te n ts .
T h e g u t, on th e c o n tr a ry , is th in , d e lic a te , tr a n s p a r e n t,
a n d s lig h tly p u c k e r e d , b u t n o t c o n v o lu te d . T h e r e a re
a b o u t s ix p y lo ric cæ c a , o f u n e q u a l len g th s . T h e a ir