f l
c re a s e d su rfa c e fo r a b so rp tio n . T h e g u t e n d s in a sh o rt,
s tr a ig h t a n d r a th e r w id e r c a n a l, w h ic h a rriv e s a t th e a n u s
v e ry so o n a fte r p a s s in g th e c æ c a l p o in t o f th e s tom a c h .
1 h e e n d o f t h e sn o u t is fo rm ed b y th e ro u n d e d ex trem ity
o f th e n a s a l b o n e , whose d e n ta l d isk , n e a rly tw ic e a s b ro a d
a s I t is lo n g , is c lo s e ly s e t w ith sm a ll, sh o r t, s to u tly su b u l
a te , a c u te , som ew h a t re c u rv e d te e th . A sm o o th fu rrow
s e p a ra te s th is d isk from th e r a th e r p rom in e n t e llip tic a l
d e n ta l su rja c e o f th e v om e r, w h ic h is a rm e d w ith s im ila r
te e th , b u t wh ich a re le s s c row d e d o n th e m e s ia l lin e . T h o
v om e rin e te e th do n o t go so fa r b a c k a s th e p r e f ro n ta l p ro c
e ss. T h e p r in c ip a l se rie s o f te e lh o n th e p a la tin e s , when
lo o k e d a l m s i lu , a p p e a r to b e s le n d e r ly c y lin d r ic a l, som e w
h a t lik e th e te e lh o f a C hoe to d o n , b u t th e y a re in fa c t
w e d g e - s h a p e d , b e in g tra n sv e rs e ly w id e r a t th e b a s e , a n d
o b liq u e ly c h is e l- s h a p e d a n d a c u te on th e ed g e . B e in g very
c lo s e ly a n d ev e n ly s e t, th e se rie s a s a w h o le is in c iso ria l.
C lo s e to th e ir ro o ts in te rio rly a few m in u te te e lh may b e
d e te c te d , s itu a te d so a s to b e re a d y to re p la c e a n y o f th e
m a in se rie s th a t m a y b e in ju r e d ; a n d a t a ve ry sm a ll in te
rv a l th e r e is a ve ry low, even row , fo rm in g a n in te r io r
a c u te r id g e , j u s t visib le a b o v e th e soft p a rts . N e a r th e
sym p h y s is th is rid g e te rm in a te s in a n a rrow b a n d o r c lu ste r.
O n th e o u ts id e , n e a r th e a n te r io r e n d o f t h e p a la tin e b o n e ,
th e m a in d e n ta l r id g e is s u p p o r te d b v a villiform b a n d o f
sm a ll s u b u la te te e tli, w h ic h is b ro a d e s t w h e re i t to u c h e s
th e n a s a l d isk , a n d ta p e r s o ff to a p o in t p o s te r io r ly , n o t
r e a c h in g above o n e - lh ird o f th e le n g th o f th e b o n e . T h e
m a n d ib u la r te e th a re s im ila r to th e p a la tin e o n e s , b u t th e
o u te r v illiform c lu s te r a t th e sym p h y s is is b ro a d e r. T h e
sm a ll in n e r te e th o f b o th jaw s a re c o n c e a le d b y th e soft
p a r t s in th e r e c e n t fish. T h e u p p e r a n d u n d e r p h a ry n g e a ls
a re d e n s e ly co v e red w ith very fine v illifo rm te e th , which
a re s lig h tly c o a r s e r o n th e in n e r b o rd e rs o f t h e b o n e s .
T h e p r e tty la rg e , o v a te p e c to ra l is s u p p o r te d b y sev en te
en ra y s . T h e d o rs a l c om m en c e s over th e l a s t q u a r te r o f
th e p e c to ra l, a n d c o n ta in s a b o u t th re e h u n d r e d ray s , w h ile
th e a n a l is s u p p o r te d b y tw o h u n d r e d a n d fifty. T h e y are
b o rd e r e d w ith b la c k , a s is th e c a s e in th e m a jo rity o f C o n g
e rs . T h e la te r a l lin e h a s a se rie s o f w h ile p o re s b e n
e a th it.
L e n g th from 5 to 7 or 8 feet.
I I au. E u ro p e a n Se a s.
C o n g r u s l e u c o p h æ u s . R ic h a rd so n .
Sm a ll s u b a c u te te e th , d e n s e ly c row d e d a t th e e n d o f th e
u p p e r jaw , th e c lu s te r e n d in g p o s te rio rly in a s h o r t a c u te
p o in t, j u s t b e h in d th e a r tic u la tio n o f th e p a la tin e b o n e s to
th e n a s a l d isk , th a t is , e x te n d in g a ve ry s h o r t w ay o n th e
v omer. P a la tin e a n d m a n d ib u la r te e th u n is e r ia l, a n d
e v e n ly a n d c lo s e ly s e t, p ro d u c in g a n in c iso ria l rid g e , a s in
th e com m o n c o n g e r. T h e i r c u sp s a re c om p re s s e d , a c u te -
e d g e d , o r c h is e l- sh a p e d , a n d o b liq u e en o u g h to form a n
a n g le o r p o in t p o s te rio rly . A few a t th e lo re e n d o f th e
m a n d ib le a re m o re p o in te d , a n d n o t so c lo s e ly a n d evenly
s e t. T h e h e a d is d e p re s s e d a n d fla ttish ab o v e , th e sn o u t
ro u n d e d . T h e d o rs a l b e g in s ju s t b e h in d th e tip o f th e
p e c to r a l, a n d , w ith th e a n a l, is o f a p a le c o lo u r, d is tin c tly
b o rd e r e d w ith b la c k . T h e b o d y , a fte r m a c e r a tio n in s p ir
its , is brow n ish .
L e n g th in c h e s . T o a n u s 7 } in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n -
in g 2 ‘2 in c h e s .
T h e sp e c im e n e x is ts in th e B r itis h M u s e um , b u t w ith o
u t a n y r e c o rd o f its n a tiv e p la c e .
CoNGRUS MYRUS. R is sO ?
Murana myrus, Risso, Iclitli. tie Nice, p. 20 ?
I h a v e re fe rre d th e c o n g e r w h o s e d e s c r ip tio n fo llow s to
th e n iy r u s o f a u th o rs , chiefly b e c a u s e o f t h e w h ile lin e s
a b o u t th e o c c ip u t, a n d o n a c c o u n t o f its h a b ita t. I t doe s
n o t a g re e a t all w ith L a c e p e d e ’s fig u re 2 , PI. 3, f. 3 , in th e
p o s itio n a n d s iz e o f th e eye.
R o u n d is h o r s lig h tly ova l n a s a l d isk , a rm e d with sh o rt,
c o n ic a l, a c u te te e th , b is e r ia l o n th e b o rd e r , th e o u te r se rie s
fo rm ed o f a b o u t fifte en, a n d th e in n e r o n e o f e i g h t ; in a d d
itio n to w h ich th e re a re tw o o n th e m e s ia l lin e la rg e r
th a n th e o th e rs , th e p o s te r io r o ne b e in g p la c e d a l ittle b e h
in d th e c irc le o f th e disk. D e n ta l su rfa c e o f th e vomer
e llip tic a l, a n d a c u te a l b o th e n d s , a rm ed with sm a ll te e th
o f v a rio u s siz e s , some o f th em fla ttish a n d ro u n d e d , o th e rs
m o re a c u te . A b o u t s ix s ta n d a b r e a s t in th e m id d le o f th e
e llip s e . P a la tin e te e th a c e ro so o r sh o rt, s le n d e r, c y lin dric
a l a n d m o re o r le s s a c u te , c row d e d w ith o u t o rd e r, b u t
s ta n d in g fo u r o r five in th e wid lh o f th e b o n e , w h ich a b u ts
a n te r io r ly a g a in s t th e n a s a l di.sk. T h e m a n d ib u la r tc e lli
a re s im ila r to th e p a la tin e o n e s , b u t form a s lig h tly n a r row
e r b a n d .
T h e b o d y o f th is co n g e r ta p e rs c o n s id e ra b ly . T lie h e a d
is lo n g ish a n d n a rrow . T h e sn o u t is o b tu s e w h en seen
from a b o v e , b u t b e in g r a th e r d e p r e s s e d lo o k s a c u te in p ro file
._ T h e ey e s a re la rg e , a n d p la c e d r a th e r m o re th a n a
v e rtic a l d iam e te r o f th e o rb it a p a r t, ov e r th e p o s te r io r a n g
le o f th e m o u th . T h e g a p e is la rg e , e x c e e d in g th e m o d e ra
te - s iz e d p e c to r a l in le n g th . T h e la te r a l lin e is fo rm ed
b y a se rie s o r c h a p le t o f little e llip tic a l e lev a tio n s , with
w h ite d o ts a t in te rv a ls . T h e d o rs a l b e g in s ov e r th e tip o f
th e p e c to r a l. T h e fin s a re p a le , w ith b la c k ed g e s. T h e
b o d y is b row n ish -g ra y a b o v e , a fte r m a c e ra tio n in sp irits ,
th e c o lo u r b e in g p a r tly p ro d u c e d b y d en s e ly -c row d e d very
m in u te d a rk a sh -g ra y d o ts ; a n d th e b e lly is w h itish , w ith
th in ly s e t b la c k ish d o ts . A p o ro u s w h ite b a n d c ro s s e s th e
o c c ip u t ; a n o th e r ru n s a lo n g th e tem p le s , o v e r th e b a s e o f
th e p e c to r a l s : o n e p a s s e s u n d e r th e ey e , a n d th e p o re s
form v a rio u s ly fig u re d lin e s on th e sn o u t. T h e r e a re also
th re e s h o r t lo n g itu d in a l w h ite b a rs on th e to p o f th e h e ad ,
b e fo re th e tra n sv e rs e o c c ip ita l b a n d .
L e n g th 23¿- in ch e s . T o a n u s 9|- in c h e s . T o gill-o p c ii-
in g 2¿ in c h e s .
H .iu . B a y o f N a p le s . S p e c im en p r e s e n te d to th e B r i tish
M u seum b y J . P r a t t , E s q .
CoNGRUS LEPTURUS. Ricliai'dsoii.
Comjrus lepturus, Richardson, Ichth. Voy. of Sulphur, p. 106, PI.
56, fig. 1 -6 .
T e e th a c ic u la r. T h e n a s a l o n e s d isp o s e d in tw o vows
o f five e a c h , th e p o s te r io r o u te r o ne o n e a c h s id e b e in g
th e ta lle s t. T h e v om e r is a rm e d in fro n t b y two te e th ,
like th e l a tte r o n e , o ne b e fo re th e o th e r. T h e p a la tin e te e th
are. b is e ria l, th e rows b e in g re g u la r, w ith a sp a c e betvveen
them , a n d th e in n e r row r a th e r ta lle r a n d ab uU in g a g a iu s t
th e n a s a l d isk b e ib r e th e v om e rin e te e th . M a n d ib u la r te e th
like th e p a la tin e o n e s , a n d bisevial, b u t a t th e sym p h y s is
th e re a re th r e e row s, th e p o s te r io r row b e in g fo rm ed by
four a c ic u la r te e th b e h in d th e o th e r tw o rows.
T a il ta p e r in g a n d sle n d e r, a n d m o re a c u te th a n in m o st
co n g e rs. L ow e r j aw n e a rly a s lo n g a s th e o b tu s e sn o u t.
D o rs a l c om m e n c in g ov e r th e a x illa o f th e p e c to ra l. O ill-
o p en in g s r a th e r la rg e , th e sp a c e b e tw e en th em on llie
th ro a t a b o u t e q u a l to th e le n g th o f o ne o p e n in g .
C olour b lu ish -g r a y above , p a le o r w h itish b e low ; th e h n s
pa le a n d e d g e d w ith b la ck .
L e n g th 9 in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n in g T 0 5 in c h , l o an u s
2 '7 in ch e s. T o d o rs a l I 'l o in ch .
H ab. C h in a Se a s.
CoNGRUS HABENATUS. Richardson.
8 ; D . 1 8 4 ; A. 1 2 2 ; = 3 0 6 ; P . 10.
P la te L ., figs. 1—5.
T h is sp e c ie s differs from th e p re c e d in g o n e s in its d e n titio
n , th e te e th o n th e ro o f o f th e m o u th b e in g fitte d for
c ru sh in g o r g rin d in g th e food.
B o d y th ic k e r th a n th e h e a d , n e a rly c y lin d r ic a l, its h e ig h t
ex c e e d in g its tra n sv e rs e d iam e te r on ly b y on e -filth (fig. 5),
th e c om p re s s io n a u gm e n tin g r a p id ly b e tw e e n th e a n u s and
lip o f th e ta il. U'he m u s c u la r flak e s a re v e ry v isib le
th ro u g h th e sm o o th , sh in in g , silv e ry skin ; a n d th e la te ra l
line , which g r a d u a lly d e s c e n d s from th e n a p e lo th e m id d le
h e ig h t, w h ic h i t a tta in s some way b e h in d th e a n u s , is
ma rk ed o u t b y a se rie s o f p o r e s , c om m e n c in g a t th e
o c c ip u t. A d e p re s s io n , d e s c e n d in g from th e o c c ip u t, s e p
a r a te s th e m u s c le s o f t h e ch e ck from th e gill-co v c r. T h e
eye is la rg e , e n c ro a c h e s o n th e p ro file , a n d is co n ta in e d
ra lh e r le s s th a n four tim e s a n d a h a lf in th e d is ta n c e b e twe
en tb e e n d o f th e sn o u t a n d tb e g ill-o p en in g . T h e
spa c e betvveen th e ey e s is le s s th a n th e v e rtic a l d iam e te r
of llie ey e -b a ll. S n o u t r a th e r b ro a d a n d o b tu se . A m e s ia l
fold o f ’lo o se skill, u n itin g w ith th e u p p e r Up, giv e s a
b rid led a p p e a r a n c e to th e sn o u t. T h e p o s te rio r n o s tril is
op en , a n d is s itu a te d j u s t b e fo re th e ey e ; th e a n te r io r o ne
is a sh o rt lu b e , p la c e d o n o ne s ide of th e lip of th e sn o u t.
T h e u n d e r jaw is sh o r te r th a n th e u p p e r o n e , a n d th e g ap e
o f th e m o u th is c le ft to b e n e a th th e c e n tr e o f th e eye.
T h e u p p e r lip , c om m e n c in g ju s t b e h in d th e tu b u la r anteriov
n o s tril, ru n s b a c k to th e a n g le o f th e m o u th , w h e re
i t c u rv e s ov e r th e e n d o f t h e low e r lip to b e in s e r te d in to
th e lowe r jaw . I t is c o n tin u o u s w ith th e in te g um e n ts
w h ic h co v e r th e p r e o rb ita r a n d su b o rb ita r c h a in , a n d is
s e p a r a te d in te rio rly b y a d e e p furrow from an in n e r lip o r
sw e llin g g um , w h ich ru n s a lo n g th e b a s e o f th e p a la tin e
te e th . T h r e e sm a ll c a r tila g in o u s b o d ie s a re im b e d d e d in
th a t p a r t o f i t w h ich is a tta c h e d to th e p r e o rb ita r , a n d a rc
s e em in g ly c o n n e c te d w ith p o re s on tb e e d g e o f th e h p .
T h e u n d e r lip is b ro a d e r a n d folds b a c k o n th e s id e s of th e
low e r jaw , b u t ru n s ev en ly to th e ro o ts o f th e te e th , w ith o
u t a n y in te r io r fu rrow a s in th e u p p e r lip . C o n sp ic u o u s
p o re s e x i s t o n th e e n d a n d to p o f th e s n o u t,_ o u th e u p p e r
lip th e s u b o rb ita r c h a in , a c ro s s th e h e a d b e h in d th e o rb its ,
on th e h in d e r p a r t o f th e m a n d ib le , a n d a c ro s s tb e o c c ip u t,
w h e re th e y c o n n e c t th e la te ra l lin e s w ith e a c h otlier.
T h e n a s a l te e th a re c o n ic o - su b u la te , sh o rt a n d a c u te , and
s ta n d in a sm a ll, d e n s e , tr ia n g u la r c lu s te r , o u th e p o in t of
tb e jaw , a n te r io r lo th e a p e x o f th e m a n d ib le when th e
m o n th is c lo s e d . T h e y a re fo llow ed , w ith o u t a n in te rv a l,
b y four row s o f f la tly -ro u n d e d v om e rin e te e lh , th e m id d le
rows c o n ta in in g th e la rg e s t o ne s. T h e v om e n n e te e th
e x te n d a s fa r b a c k a s th e f ro n t o f tho eye. T h e p a la tin e
b o n e s a re a rm ed b y an ev en , o u te r s e n e s ol sonievvhat
s u b u la te , b u t n o t v e ry a c u te te e th , with in te r io r , ro u n d e d ,
g r a n u la r o n e s c o n s id e ra b ly lowe r, a n d a b o u t th re e d e e p ,
b u t n o t r a n g e d in d e te rm in a te row s. T h e m a n d ib u la r
te e th a re s im ila r to th e p a la tin e o n e s , b u t th e d e n ta l su rfa c e
in c r e a s e s g r a d u a lly in w id th from th e c o rn e r ot th e m o n th
to th e sym p h y s is , w h e re th e te e lh a re five o r s ix d e e p (figs.
4 a n d 5). T o n g u e sm ooth.
T h e d is ta n c e b e iw e e n th e e n d o f th e sn o u t a n d th e gilJ-
o p e n in g is e q u a l to o n e - s ix th o f th e to ta l le n g th , a n d th e
a n u s is a l ittle a n te r io r to th e m id d le ol th e fish. i h e
d o rs a l c om m en c e s ov e r th e a x il o f th e p e c to r a l o r lowe r
an g le o f th e g ill-o p e n in g , a n d its ra y s a re m o re d e lic a te
a n d c row d ed tow a rd s th e e n d o f th e ta il, w h e re i t u n ite s
w ith th e a n a l. T h e p e c to r a l is ra th e r sm a ll.
T h e s tom a c h is cæ c a l, wide a n d o b tu s e , a n d , in th e in d
iv id u a l h e re d e s c r ib e d , w a s c om p le te ly filled b y a la rg e
s b r iin p , w h ic h w a s d o u b le d u p , a n d b u t little b ro k e n . I t
h a s n o sm a ll a p p e n d ix su c h a s e x is ts a l th e fu n d u s of th e
s tom a c h o f th e Congrus v u lg a r is . T h e g u t g oe s off from
a fu n n e l-lik c r e c e s s a t th e u p p e r e n d o f th e s tom a c h , a n d
d e s c e n d s s tr a ig h t to th e an u s , b e in g b o u n d to th e stom a ch
b y m em b ra n e a s fa r a s th a t v is c u s e x te n d s . T lie
s tom a c h a n d r a th e r m o re th a n h a l f th e g u t vvere o f a p u r p
lis h -b la c k c o lo u r, a p p a r e n tly p ro c e e d in g from Ih e ir c o n te
n ts , th e u n d e r p a r t o f th e c a n a l, be low th e fu n d u s oi th e
s tom a c h , b e in g p a le . T h e a ir-b la d d e r, lo n g a n d s le n d e r ,
d e s c e n d s a s low a s th e a n u s : its lowe r e n d ta p e r s , a n d Us
u p p e r o n e d iv id e s in to two ta p e r in g b r a n c h e s , o ne ol th e
b r a n c h e s b e in g co n tin u o u s w ith th e tu b e w h ich conim iim -
c a le s w ith th e oe so p h a g u s , T h e h e a r t a n d p e n c a v d u im
h av e a s sh in in n in g n a c ry a p p e a r ia a u n e c e , a u n tt d a .re « co n o e c te c u>
.a.
.. 1 .1 v.'i.-.rlc T h i s ilIfllVKin ü l
e a c h o th e r b y s tro n g m em b ra n o u s b a n d s . T h i s in d iv id u a l
w a s k ille d w h e n sp aw n in g , its b e lly b e in g full o f ro e , a n d
th e eg g s w e re in th e a c t o f p a s s in g th ro u g h th e d is te n d e d
^ L e n g th 12'7 in c h e s . T o a n u s 5 '7 in c h e s . T o g ill