580 RAIID.E. 



Dr. Parnell's specific characters, ami description, from the 

 fish, while fresh, which I hope, on that account, to be excused 

 for making use of, are as follows : 



" Body on the upper surface very rough ; on the under 

 surface of a pure white ; a row of spines round the inner edge 

 of each orbit ; two rows of large bent spines on the tail." 



" A female specimen, three feet two inches in length, tail 

 included. Body of a rhomboidal form ; the transverse dia- 

 meter rather greater than the distance between the tip of the 

 snout and the end of the anal rays ; from the point of the 

 snout to the tip of the pectoral, and from thence to the base of 

 the ventral fin on the opposite side equal ; the length of the 

 tail equal to the distance from its base to the posterior margin 

 of the orbit ; from the tip of the snout to the middle of the 

 eye, one-seventh of the whole length, catulal included ; the 

 transverse cartilage is situated mid-way between the extremity 

 of the nose and the termination of the base of the anal fin. 

 Snout sharp, conate ; the anterior margins of the pectorals 

 slightly sinuous ; the posterior margins rounded ; ventrals nar- 

 row, being three or four times longer than their breadth, 

 placed between the termination of the large broad pectorals 

 and the commencement of the anals, composed of five rays, of 

 which the second is the longest. Anals rounded at their 

 outer margins, and terminating free below, about five times 

 the breadth of the ventrals, each furnished with about twenty- 

 one rays. Dorsals approximate, small and thin, situated 

 nearly at the extremity of the tail, both of equal size, round- 

 ed at their posterior free margins ; each fin furnished with 

 eight rays, which appear to branch off from one large ray 

 situated horizontally. Caudal fin rudimentary, about half the 

 length of the base of the second dorsal. Colour of the upper 

 surface of the body of a uniform yellowish brown ; under sur- 

 face pure white. Eyes large ; a temporal orifice situated at 

 the posterior part, and a little on the outer side of each orbit ; 



