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Show 68 DR. A. GUNTHER ON THE ZOOLOGICAL [Feb. 6, equal to the length of the head and rather more than one third of the total length (without caudal). Upper profile sloping in a moderately strong curve from the commencement of the dorsal to the end of the snout. Lower jaw the longest. The teeth are in strong card in both jaws, the upper jaw with an outer series of stronger ones ; one pair of canine teeth above and below, much stronger than any of the other ones. Vomerine and palatine teeth in narrow short bands. The diameter of the eye is one half the length of the snout, and two thirds of the width of the interorbital space. The maxillary, when the mouth is closed, reaches to behind the middle of the orbit. The structure of the nostrils does not differ from that of the other species of the genus : there are externally on each side two openings, a small anterior, and large posterior ; they are separated by a narrow bridge of skin, which, in dried examples, would be very liable to shrink or disappear altogether. At the bottom of the posterior opening are the two apertures described by Jenyns which lead into the interior of the nasal organ. The praeoperculum is rather more than rectangular, the basal margin nearly straight and horizontal, the ascending margin finely denticulated with a shallow sinuosity above the angle. Operculum with a flat triangular spine. Scales nearly smooth, lateral line not very conspicuous. Dorsal spines slender, the second being the longest, its length contained twice and one fourth in that of the head. The length of the first spine is four ninths of that of the second, the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth spines gradually decreasing in length. Caudal sub-truncated. Body uniform dark brown. Head and fins yellow. 3. SERRANUS HUMERALIS (C. V.). = S. albomaculatus (Jen.), Charles Island. 4. PRISTIPOMA CANTHARINUM (Jen.). Charles Island. 5. CHRYSOPHRYS TAURINA (Jen.). Charles Island. Very closely allied to Ch. calamus. 6. SARGUS UNIMACULATUS (Bl.). Charles Island. This fish is to be added to the list of species occurring on both sides of the Isthmus of Panama. Hitherto it was known from the Atlantic coasts of Tropical America (including the West Indies) only. 7. DOYDIXODON FREMINVILLII (Val.). Charles Island (Post- Office Bay). Albemarle Island (Iguana Cove). The number of dorsal rays varies from 15 to 17 ; that of the anal rays appears to be more constant, namely 12. With regard to the distribution of this fish on the Pacific side of the American continent, and the alleged presence of teeth on the palate, see Zool. Record, iv. p. 160. |