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Show 164 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF TilE BEAGLE. FAMILy .-SCIJENI D lE. 0TOLITHUS ANALIS. Jen. This new species of Otolitltus is from Callao: it was omitted to be noticed in the body of the work. There is but one specim.en.in the col.le~tion.' in bad ~o~dition, and not admitting of a very detailed descnpt10n; but It IS evidently d1stmct from a11 the species described by Cuvier and Valenciennes. It is rather more elongated than the 0. Guatucupa, the depth being not much more than one-fifth of the entire length. The head is long, and contained three and a half times in the same. The lower jaw is considerably the longest. The teeth above are small, and sharppointed, apparently in two rows, the outer row being a little stronger than the inner: there are two very strong canines in front, springing from between the rows. Below, the teeth are in two rows in front, and one at the sides; those in front small, but those at the sides unequally sized, three or four, standing at intervals, being much stronger than the others, and very sharp. Diameter of the eye about one-sixth the length of the head; its distance from the end of the snout one diameter and a half. The lateral line is continued to the extremity of the caudal, between the ninth and tenth rays. There is a small interval between the two dorsal fins. The second dorsal, as well as the anal, are longer than in the 0. Guatucupa, with more soft rays, especially the anal. The pectorals are narrow and pointed, and between one-half and two-thirds the length of the head. The ventrals are attached almost exactly beneath the pectorals. The caudal appears to have been square. D. 9-1/24; A. 1/16; P. 17; V. 1f5· Length 12 inches. CoLOun.-The colours were not noticed when recent, and can hardly be judged of now. The general tint appears to have been silvery. If there were any markings, no traces of them remain. Habitat, Callao, Peru. This species has a longer anal than any of the American species described by Cuvier and Valenciennes. I have in consequence named it analis. PRIONODES FASCIATUS. p. 47. It has been suggested that this may be nothing more than a monstrosity. Whether this be really the fact or not, can only be determined by the examination of more specimens. But in either case, I am so satisfied now of its being a Se1·ranus in all its essential characters, that I conceive it never can be placed in a different family from that genus. If the fact be established of its never possessing vomerine and palatine teeth, such a character can, at the very utmost, serve only to distinguish it as a subgenus in that group. But every day is bringing more and more to light the small value of that character. FISH. 165 STEGASTES IMBRICATUS. p. 63. I a~ informed ~y Mr. Lowe, of Madeira, that this is the same as the Gl hi-so. d on l?mdus of. Cuv. ier and Valenciennes ·• Thei'r d escri·p tI' on I·S so s h ort, thypa t I f~Iled to recogm~e It ; and .I was induced to consider it as a new genus from the mrcumsta~ce of Its possessmg vomerine teeth. Whether these teeth exist in any other species, or have only been presumed absent in all, because not found in some, I am not aware. But here again we see how little such a character is to b depended upon. e FAMILY .-BLENNIDJE. . Mr. Darwin's collection contains two new forms from South America close] allied to each other, yet forming distinct genera, and which will not e~ter int~ any of those .descl'ibed by authors. At first it was conceived that they were Malacopteryg~ao. fishes, more especially from their having all the rays in the dorsal and anal. fins. articulated; and to belong to the Apodal division of that ~roup, from theu bemg supposed to be without ventrals; but, on a closer inspec~ wn, the ~entrals, which are very small, were found to have been overlooked, and It was evident altoge.ther that the true place of these fishes in the system was amongst the .Blennzdce. The mention of this circumstance will explain why they were omitted to be noticed in their proper place. ~hese two genera, so far as can be judged from the situations in which Mr. Darwm obtained them, have the same habits as the Blennies, lurking under stones and weeds ; and I propose to give them respectively the names of Jluocll!tes and Pltucocll!tes. GENus.-ILUOCffiTES.• Jen. Cm'}Jus elongatum, antice subcylindricum, postice compressum, ensiforme, lceve, nudmn, alepidotum. Rostt·um breve, obtusum, t·otundatutn, ultd maxiltam i11j'eriorem productum. Dentes acuti, subconici, in utraque maxilla uniseriati: supt·a canini duo fm·tes, curvati, antici, et prce serie exstantes: in vomere dentes pauci acuti ao-trre- . . ~0 gatt; tn utroque palatino uniseriati. Lingua lr.evis. Oculi grandes, prominuli. Apertura brancltialis mediocriter fissa, membrana qttinque-radiatd. Maxillr.e, os suborbitale, et prceoperculum, tubiporis cutaneis brevibus ad mat-gines fimbriatce. Pinnce ventrales jugulares, minutce, gracillissimce, triradiatte. Pinnce dorsalis et analis prcelongce, caudali coalescentes, radiis omnibus articulatis. ~f I am right in placing this new genus amongst the Blennidte, it will evidently take Its place next to Zoarces, to which it is more nearly allied than to any other • Hist. dea Poias. tom. 5. p. 35G. t Ab tAvs Jimus, et •otTfl cubile. |