X y s t o p h o r u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
P la te X X X ., fig. 2-2.
W e h e r e e x h ib i t a n o th e r o f D r . H o o k e r ’s d r aw in g s
(N o . 90), r e p re s e n tin g a sm a ll fish ta k e n a t s e a . I t a p p
e a r s to b e a fisb o f th e C o tlo id fa in ilj', a n d is n am e d from
tb e a rm a tu re o f i t s h e a d . J u d g in g fi-om th e fig u re , th e
fo rm u la for th e fin -ray s a p p e a r s to b e D . 5 ]2 4 ; A. 3 |1 6 ,
&C-, a n d th e fish w o u ld s e em to b e s c a le le s s , from th e way
in w h ic h th e m u s c u la r fib re s a re shown.
OSTR.ACION BOOPS. R ic h a rd s o u .
R.AD1I : — C . 1 2 ; A. 1 4 ; P . 14. (D r. H o o k e r).
P la t e X X X ., figs. 18— 21.
B e in g u nw illin g t h a t a n y o f th e n o v e l fo rm s o f fish
s k e tc h e d b y D r. H o o k e r s h o u ld b e a lto g e th e r lo s t to s c ie
n c e , th o u g h th e sp e c im e n s from wh ich th e y w e re d e s ig n e d
h a v e p e r is h e d , we h e r e p r e s e n t an Osti-a c ion, in w h ic h th e
c h ie f n o v e lty a p p e a r s to b e th e w a n t o f a d o rs a l fin. D r.
H o o k e r h a s g iv e n fo u r v iew s o f th is l ittle fish in diffe ren t
p o s itio n s , viz ., 18, a la te r a l view , 19, a view o f th e b a c k ,
t e n n in a t e d a t e a c h e n d b y a lo n g s p in e , a n d w ith two
sm a lle r in te rm e d ia te em in en c e s , w h ich se em to r e p la c e th e
d o r s a l fin. F ig . 2 0 shows th e u n d e r su rfa c e , w h e n th e fish
is tu rn e d , so a s to b r in g th e m o u th a n d fro n ta l sp in e in to
v iew ; a n d 2 1 , th e p o s te r io r su rfa c e , lo o k in g from th e v e n t
o v e r th e a n a l a n d c a u d a l fin to th e lo n g c a u d a l sp in e .
T h e d raw in g s a re n um b e r e d 34 b y D r. H o o k e r.
H a b . T a k e n in th e S o u th A tla n tic , in a low ne t.
S y n g n a t h u s h y m e n o l o m u s . R ic h a rd so n .
C h . S p e c . S y n g n . co rp o re v a ld è compresso, s u p e r n e in -
f e r n e q u e m em b r a n d la td m a r g in a to ; c a u d d quoque
su p e r n e a n tic e m a r g in a ta .
R a d i i :— D . 41 ; C. 8 . S c u t e l l i ;— co rp o r is 3 0 ; c a u d a 67.
P la t e X X X ., figs. 11, 12, 13.
B a ro n C u v ie r, in th e R è g n e A n im a l, d iv id e s th o S y n -
g n a th i in to fo u r g ro u p s , c h a r a c te r iz e d b y th e n um b e r o f fins
th e y p o s s e s s . T h e s p e c ie s we h av e fig u re d h a v in g m e re ly
a d o rs a l a n d a n a l, w o u ld e n te r th e th i rd g ro u p , o f which
S y n g n . a q u o r e u s o f M o n ta g u (T ra n s , o f th e W e rn . Soc.
V p i. 4 , fig. I ) is th e ty p e , b u t i t h a s a lso a b ro a d , th ic k ish ,
m em b ra n o u s b o rd e r , o r a d ip o s e fin, n o t n o tic e d in any
d e s c r ib e d m em b e r o f th e g en u s , w h ic h m ay b e co n s id e re d
a s g iv in g i t a c la im to b e ra n k e d a s th e ty p e o f a s e p a ra te
g ro u p . I t is n o t, h ow ev e r, ad v is a b le to a ttem p t g iv in g its
d is tin c tiv e c h a r a c te r s in th is p o in t o f v iew , u n til th e w h o le
fam ily s h a ll h a v e b e e n re v is e d , fo r th e p u rp o s e o f fully
d is c r iu iin a tin g th e v a rio u s g ro u p s w h ic h i t c om p ris e s , a n d
a n -a n g in g th e k now n sp e c ie s , n ow b e com e n um e ro u s . My
f rie n d M r. G ra y h a s m a d e som e p ro g re s s in th is ta sk , w hich
c o u ld n o t b e in b e t te r b a n d s ; in th e m e a n tim e , I h av e
g iv e n th e fish a sp e c ific n am e , in d ic a tin g its m o s t s trik in g
p e c u lia r ity , a n d w h ic h m ay b e em p lo y e d a s a g en e ric
a p p e lla tio n h e re a fte r, i f n e e d b e . I t is com p ile d from vusv,
m em b ra n a , a n d xaJM«, m a rg o . T h e B r itis h M u s e um p o s se
sse s m a n y sp e c im e n s b ro u g h t from th e F a lk la n d s , b y
M r. W r ig h t, w h ic h M r. G r a y h a s k in d ly p e rm itte d m e to
e x am in e , a n d th e y w o u ld a p p e a r to b e a ll fem a le s , o r a t
le a s t th e y show n o tr a c e s o f p its o n th e b e lly , for th e r e c
e p tio n o f th e eggs, su c h a s w e o b s e rv e in th e m a le S y n g n .
a q u o r e u s , n o r o f a p o u c h u n d e r th e ta il, a s in th e g ro u p s
w h ic h h a v e fo u r o r five fins.
I n th is S y n g n a th u s , th e v e n t is a very little p o s te r io r to
th e m id d le , a u d th e b o d y is m u c h c om p re s s e d , w ith flatly
c o n v e x s id e s , e d g e d o n th e d o r s a l a n d v e n tra l lin e b y
b ro a d , th ic k is h , o p a k e fo ld s o f sk in , w h ic h d o u b le its
h e ig h t. T h e sh ie ld s b y w h ich th e b o d y is p ro te c te d ,
sh ow ve ry s lig h tly th ro u g h th e in te g um e n t, a n d a re n o t
an g u la r . T h e u p p e r c u ta n e o u s b o rd e r is in te r ru p te d o n
th e tw e n ty - f ir s t sh ie ld , o n th e h in d e r p a r t o f w h ic h th e
d o r s a l b e g in s , a n d is c o n tin u e d to th e th ir ty - th ird sh ie ld .
On th e th ir ty - fo u r th sh ie ld th e b o rd e r a g a in a p p e a r s , b u t
n o t so b ro a d , a n d it g o e s o n d e c r e a s in g in h e ig h t to th e
e ig h ty - e ig h th , w h e re i t en d s , th e ta il a t th e sam e tim e
g row in g m o re a n d m o re s le n d e r, a n d e n d in g in a na rrow
p o in t, b u t su p p o r tin g a very sm a ll c a u d a l, w ith e ig h t s im p
le jo in t e d ra y s . T h e u n d e r c u ta n e o u s b o rd e r e n d s ju s t
b e fo re th e a n u s , a ro u n d w h ic h th e r e is a d e n s e p a tc h o f
v illi, wh ich c o n c e a l th e orific e , a n d cove r a sp a c e o f th e
le n g th o f a s h ie ld a n d a ha lf.
T h e s n o u t, m e a su re d to th e fore p a r t o f tho o rb it, is
o n e tw e n ty -fo u rth p a r t o f th e e n tir e le n g th o f th e fish , a n d
th e b e a d , from th e tip o f th e s n o u t to th e e n d o f tlie o p e r c
u lum , fo rm s b e tw e e n th e tw e lfth a n d th ir te e n th p a r t. T h e
sn o u t is c om p re s s e d , o b tu s e ab o v e , a n d m o re a c u te be low .
A f la ttish sp a c e , w ith a fa in t m e s ia l r id g e e q u a l to a d ia m
e te r o f th e o rb it, s e p a ra te s th e ey e s ab o v e . A sm o o th ,
som ew h a t e le v a te d , s u p e rc ilia ry rid g e o n e a c h s id e o f th is
s p a c e , a n d e x te n d in g to th e n o s tr ils , re n d e rs i t co n c av e .
T h e o p e rc u lum is o b tu s e ly o v a l, a n d i t sh ow s little p its on
i t s su rfa c e , d isp o s e d in lin e s . O th e r p a r ts o f th e h e a d
a n d s n o u t sh ow s im ila r p its a s th e fish d rie s , b u t in th e
r e c e n t s la te , th e b o n e s m u s t b e to le r a b ly w e ll co v e red b y
th e in te g um e n ts , a n d th e r e a re n o ro u g h r id g e s , o r a n g u la r
p o in ts , e x c e p t a p ro je c tio n , a p p a r e n tly o f th e s u b o p e r c u lum
, w h ich is jo in e d to its fellow u n d e rn e a th , a n d p o in ts
d ir e c tly d ow nw a rd s , b e low th e s h o r t v e rtic a l lim b o f th e
p re o p e rc u lum . T h e g ill-o p e n in g is ve ry m in u te , a n d is
p ie r c e d ov e r th e p o s te rio r q u a r te r o f th e o p e rcu lum .
All th e sp e c im e n s h a v e b e e n k e p t lo n g in sp irits , and
h av e a d u ll b row n ish tin t, w ith o u t sp o ts.
d im e n s io n s .
L en g th from end o f sn o u t to tip o f Uiil........................... 12-05 inches.
„ vent <)'15 „
„ „ en d o f g ill-p la te 0'95
„ g ill-o p e n in g 0-91 „
„ eye........................................... 0 5 0
Len g th from vent to tip of tail ......................................... 6-90 „
S om e sp e c im e n s m e a su re five o r s ix in c h e s more in
le n g th .
H a b . T h e h a rb o u r s o f th e F a lk la n d Is la n d s .
L a b r u s c e l id o t u s . F o rs te r.
R a d i i : - D . 9110; A. 3 |1 0 ; C. U f ; P . 1 2 ; V . l | 5 .
Lahrus celidolus. Forster, apud S ch n eid . p. 265. I d . Desc. A n im.
curd L ich t. p . 133.
P la te X X X I ., fig. 1, 2, 3, 5, n a tu r a l s iz e ., fig. 4 m ag n ified .
T h e form o f th is fish is p r e tty re g u la r , th e c e n tr a l a n d
do rsa l cu rv e s d iffe rin g b u t little from e a c h o th e r. T h e
slo p e from th e u p p e r lip to th e d o rs a l is g ra d u a l, a n d s im ila
r to th e p o s te r io r curve o f th e b a c k , a n d th e h e ig h t o f th e
b o d y , w h ic h is g r e a te s t u n d e r th e fifth d o rs a l sp in e , is e q u a l
to th e len g th o f th e h e a d , a n d is c o n ta in e d th r e e lim e s a n d
a h a lf in th e to ta l le n g th o f th e fish. F o r s te r m ak e s th e
h e a d o n e -s ix th o f th e to ta l le n g th , b u t h is m e a s u r em e n t is
ev id en tly m ad e o n th e c row n o f th e h e a d , a n d n o t to th e
tip o f th e gill-co v e r. T h e th ic k n e s s o f th e b o d y is in fe rio r
to h a lf i ts h e ig h t.
A sm a ll c a n in e to o th s ta n d s foi-ward a t th e an g le o f th e
m o u th , b e in g im p la n te d in th e u p p e r jaw ; a n d b e h in d th e
sin g le v isible row o f te e th in b o th jaw s th e r e a re m u c h sm a lle
r one s s im ila r to th em in form n e a rly h id d e n b y th e soft
p a rts . O th e r L a b r i h a v e a lso th e s e in te rio r le e lh , a n d th e
dorsa l a n d a n a l fins a re q u ite d e s titu te o f th e s c a ly s h e a th s
o f th e C o s yp h i, n e ith e r is th e r e a n y e n la rg em e n t o f th e
jaw s . T h e r e a re m a n y p o r e s o n th e p r e o rb ita r , th e su b o r-
b ita r b o n e s , th e p r e o p e r c u lum , tem p le s , u p p e r su rfa c e o f
th e c ra n ium , a n d f ir s t row o f n u c h a l sc a le s . T h e ch e e k s
are cove red b y five o r s ix rows o f sm a ll sc a le s , b u t on th e
g ill-co v e r th e sc a le s a re a s la rg e a s th o s e o f th e b o d y . T h e
la te r a l lin e is tr a c e d on tw e n ty - e ig h t sc a le s , a n d d e s c e n d s
su d d en ly b e h in d th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l fins fo r th e b r e a d th o f
a s c a le . I t s m u c ife ro u s c a n a ls o n th e a n te r io r s c a le s m ak e
a single fork lik e th e l e tte r Y , b u t a re m o re b r a n c h e d on th e
p o s te r io r one s. E a c h s c a le is o b s c u r e ly ih r e e - lo b e d a t
th e b a s e , with n um e ro u s fan -lik e fu rrow s , a n d th e r e a re
also some le s s r e g u la r d iv e rg in g lin e s on th e e x p o s e d p a r t
o f th e disk. T h e s p in e s o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re r a th e r
s len d e r, a n d th e c a u d a l is ev e n a t th e end.
F o r s te r d e s c rib e s th e co lo u rs a s fo llow s : fo re h e a d a n d
b a c k d e ep re d d ish b row n , th e s id e s g re e n , a n d th e b e lly
s ilve ry w hite . C a u d a l fin a n d g ill-co v e rs g re en ish b row n ,
a ro u n d ish b la c k sp o t an in c h a n d a h a l f in d iam e te r, h ig h
on th e s ide o p p o s ite to th e an u s , a n d th re e o b so le te b row n ish
b la c k s tre ak s tow a rd s th e ta il. T h e p e c to r a l, v en tra l,
a n d an a l fin s a re y e llow ; th e la tte r b e in g m a rk e d b y
two o r th re e b la c k sp o ts , a n d th e d o rs a l b y m o re s c a tte r e d
o ne s. O u r sp e c im en s h a v e lo s t th e ir o rig in a l lin ts b y lo n g
m a c e ra tio n in s p ir its , b u t tb e la te ra l s p o t is s till c o n sp
icu o u s , th o u g h o f a sm a lle r s iz e th a n i t is d e s c rib e d to
b e b y F o rs te r. I t is c ro s s ed b y th e la te ra l lin e . T h e d isk s
o f th e sc a le s a re m u c h d a rk e r th a n th e ir m a rg in s , e sp e c ia lly
on th e f la n k s ; th e r e a re tw o d a rk s tre a k s o n th e tem p le s ,
a few sp o ts o n th e a n a l, a n d th e d o rs a l is c lo u d e d b y ill-d e fin
ed spots.
Oils. T h e woifltiis o f S o la n d e r (Mss. P is e . A n s tr .;
P a rk in so n 37, I c o n in e d . B ib l. B a n k s ; R ic h a rd s o n , Ann.
an d M ag. o f N a t. H is t. x i. p . 425), h a s c o n s id e ra b le r e sem
b la n c e to th is sp e c ie s in th e d is tr ib u tio n o f i t s d a rk
tin ts , a s w e ll a s in its e x te rn a l form, b u t th e la rg e , oval,
b la c k s p o t is s itu a te d som e d is ta n c e b e low th e la te r a l lin e .
T h e L a b r u s p a c ilo p le iir a o f N ew Z e a la n d , a s fa r a s we
c a n ju d g e from th e d e s c r ip tio n o f i t in th e ‘ H is to ir e d e s
P o is so n s ,’ (p. 13, 95), d o e s n o t d iffe r sp e c ific a lly from
S o la n d e r’s n o ta iu s . T h e s e sp e c ie s , a n d s ev e ra l o th e r A u s tra
lia n L a b r i , viz . L . ie tr ic u s , fu c ic o la , la tic la v iu s , a n d
p s i ila c u lu s (R ic h a rd so n , Z o o l. T ra n s .) ; a n d a lso th e L .
e p h ip p ium a n d g a y i o f th e ‘ H is to ir e d e s P o is so n s ,’ a g re e
w ith c e lid o lu s in th e n um b e r s o f th e d o r s a l a n d a n a l
sp in e s , a n d d iffe r w id e ly in th a t c h a r a c te r from th e E u ro
p e a n L a b r i.
H a b . S e a s o f N ew Z e a la n d a n d A u s tra lia , S o u th e rn I s la
n d o f N ew Z e a la n d , (F o rs te r) ; W o o su n g , N o r th o f C h in a ,
(S ir E v e r a rd H om e ).
L a b r u s b o t r y o c o sm u s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— D . 9| 11 ; A. 31 1 0 ; C. 1 2 | ; P . 1 2 ; V. 1|5.
P la te X X X I ., figs. 6 , 7, 8 , & 10. n a tu r a l s iz e ; 9 m ag n ified .
T h is L a h r iis is v e ry m u c h lik e th e p r e c e d in g o n e , th e
m o s t p a lp a b le d iffe ren c e b e in g th e e x is te n c e o f a c lu s te r o f
b la c k d o ts a b o v e th e la te r a l lin e a n d u n d e r th e p o s te r io r
d o rs a l sp in e s , w ith a lo n g itu d in a l b a r o n th e d o rs a l an d
a n o th e r on th e a n a l, in p la c e o f th e la te r a l sp o t a n d o lh e r
m a rk in g s o f ce lid o tu s. T h e r e is a lso a p a le b lu e s tre a k
m n n in g u p th e p o s te r io r b o rd e r o f th e p r e o rb ita r a n d a lo n g
th e s u b o rb ita r c h a in . T h e d e n titio n d o e s n o t diffe r from
th a t o f c e lid o lu s , a n d th e r e is a s im ila r m in u te c a n in e a t th e
an g le o f th e m o u th . On c om p a r in g t h e sp e c im e n s close ly
w ith o n e a n o th e r, th e following d iffe ren c e s w e re d e le c te d in
form. T h e p ro file o f th e sn o u t o f botryocosmtis is g ib b o u s ,
its s n o u t is wid e r, a n d th e c u rv e form ed b y th e j u n c t io n o f
th e c ran ium w ith th e sc a ly n a p e is m o re c o n tr a c te d th a n in
c e lid o lu s . T h e p o s te r io r lim b o f th e p re o p e rc u lum is
n e a r ly e re c t, a n d m e e ts th e low e r lim b a t a r ig h t a n g le ,
while in c e lid o tu s th e a n g le is m u c h m o re o p e n . T h e
sc a le s o f botryocosmus a re in g e n e r a l m o re e lo n g a te d , a n d
th e lu b e s w h ic h m a rk o u t th e la te r a l lin e a re s im p ly forked
in th e ta il, a n d m o re b ra n c h e d a n te r io r ly , c o n tr a ry to w h a t
is o b s e rv e d in c e lid o tu s .
H a b . C o a s ts o f S o u th A u s tr a lia a n d V an D iem e n ’s
L a n d .
M a c e o u r u s , v e l L e p id o r h y n c h u s d e n t ic u l a t u s .
R ic h a rd so n .
C h . S pec. M . s q u am is ovalibus ro tu n d a tis v e n o n c a r in a t
i s p o s tic è sp in u lo so -h ir tis ; ra d io p i n n a d o r s i a n tic o
s u bm u tlc o ; p i n n a d o rsi s e c u n d d lo n g iu s p o n e a n um
in c ip ie n ti.
R a d i i : — D. 12— ? A.— ? P . 18.
P la te X X X I I ., fig. 1. n a tu r a l s iz e ; 2, 3, m agnified.
A b o u t e ig h t s p e c ie s o f th is g en u s a rc n ow k n ow n ; viz .
two w h ic h in h a b it th e G r e e n la n d s e a s , tw o b e lo n g in g to