_C. nigro-fuscus, infra lineam lateralem et in ventre obscurè
argenteus; pinnis pallidè fuscis immaculatis: corpore valde
elongato: dentibus in maxillâ superiore duobus anticis caninis
fortibus, lateralibus conicis parvis subœqualibus; in inferiore,
caninis parvis, lateralibus variis inæqualibus: lineâ laterali
ramosâ._
B. 6; D. 9/13; A. 3/12; C. 12, et 4 breviores; P. 11; V. 1/5.
LONG. unc. 9. lin. 6.
FORM.—Very much elongated, with the dorsal and ventral lines nearly
straight. Depth varying but little, and contained nine and a half
times in the entire length; thickness not quite three-fourths of the
depth. Head elongated, contained not more than three and a half
times in the entire length, compressed, with the cheeks vertical.
Snout very much produced, slightly rounded at the extremity: gape
reaching half-way to beneath the middle of the eye. Jaws scarcely
protractile; the upper one a little the longest: lips reflexed in
the form of membranaceous flaps, especially the lower one, the
margin of which is sinuous. Teeth ranged in a single row in each
jaw. Those above form a numerous, close-set, nearly even series at
the sides of the jaw, with two long hooked canines in front; the
lateral teeth amount to about thirty-five on each side, and are
small, but strong, somewhat conical, and not very sharp-pointed. In
the lower jaw there are two front canines, similar to those in the
upper, but much smaller; then follow four short conical teeth; then
six large triangular, compressed, sharp-pointed ones, but not all of
equal size; then five more small conical ones, which complete the
series on each side. No teeth on the vomer or palatines. Eyes of
moderate size, situate in the middle of the length of the head,
high, but not touching the line of the profile; their diameter
one-eighth the length of the head. Preopercle rectangular. Opercle
triangular, the membrane produced posteriorly at the upper part in
the form of a rounded angle: a short row of scales observable along
its upper margin, and another along its lower. Subopercle and
interopercle without scales. Also a short row of scales, similar to
those on the opercle, behind and partially beneath each eye, and,
with these exceptions, no other scales on the head. Above each eye
is an irregular row of minute pores: there are also pores beneath
the eye, and on the sides of the snout, mixed with short raised
lines having somewhat the appearance of written characters.
Gill-opening widely cleft; the branchial membrane free all round.
Scales on the body moderately large, and similar in form to those of
the _C. auratus_, as described by Cuvier and Valenciennes. The
number, in a longitudinal line from the gill to the caudal, is
forty-six, in a vertical about seventeen. Lateral line also as in
that species, but with the mucous tubes branched, and giving off
eight or nine twigs on each side.
The dorsal commences a little behind the terminating angle of the
opercle, and the anal immediately beneath the first branched ray
of the dorsal: these fins terminate in the same vertical line, and
the last ray in each is double: the simple rays are soft and
flexible. Caudal slightly rounded. Pectorals short, and obliquely
truncated, contained eleven and a half times in the entire length.
Ventrals very small, about two-thirds the length of the pectorals,
rounded, close together, with an elongated scale between them;
their point of insertion slightly backwarder than that of the
pectorals.
COLOUR.—Not noticed in the recent state. In spirits, it appears of an
almost uniform dark brown, at least above the lateral line. There is
some trace of a pale longitudinal band on each side of the head
beneath the eye, which is continued, but rather indistinctly, along
the whole length of the body, the tips of the scales remaining dark.
Possibly during life all the lower part of the sides and belly may
have exhibited numerous dark spots upon a pale or silvery ground.
Under part of the head pale brown, with some faintly-defined
ocellated spots: also a faint trace of red on the opercle. All the
fins pale brown, without spots.
Habitat, Japan?
This species was given to Mr. Darwin, when at Chiloe, by the surgeon of
a whaling-ship, who said that he believed that it was caught in the
Japan seas. From the great similarity which prevails amongst the species
of this genus, I am not sure that it is really new, as I have ventured
to consider it. The specific character also, so far as the colours are
concerned, must be received with some caution, in consequence of these
last not having been observed in the recent state. It seems to approach
very closely the _C. hemichrysos_ of Cuvier and Valenciennes, brought by
MM. Quoy and Gaimard from the Sandwich Islands; but it differs in its
colours, especially in the fins being all uniformly pale brown, and in
having fewer scales on the opercle, and beneath the eye. It is
impossible to say, however, to what extent the colours may have been
altered by the spirit: some of the scales also may have been rubbed off.