398 CYPHINID.E. 



lialf inches long ; the body slender in proportion to its 

 length ; the head compared to the length of the head and 

 body alone, without the caudal rays, is as two to nine ; the 

 depth of the body equal to the length of the head ; the 

 diameter of the eye compared to the length of the head is 

 as two to seven ; the nose rather rounded ; the upper jaw the 

 longest; the ascending line of the nape and back more convex 

 than any other portion of the dorsal or abdominal line ; the 

 first ray of the dorsal fin arising half way between the ante- 

 rior edge of the orbit of the eye, and the edge of the fleshy 

 portion of the tail ; the first ray half as long as the second, 

 which is the longest, and is as long again as the last ray of 

 this fin, the length of the last ray being equal to the length of 

 the base of the fin : the pectoral fin rather long and narrow ; 

 the ventral fins arise just in advance of the line of the origin 

 of the first ray of the dorsal fin ; the distance from the origin 

 of the ventrals to the origin of the anal fin, and from the 

 origin of the last ray of the anal fin to the end of the fleshy 

 portion of the tail, are equal ; the first ray of the anal fin 

 nearly as long again as the last ; the tail considerably forked, 

 the external rays being as long again as those in the centre. 

 The scales of the body moderate in size, fifty forming the 

 lateral line, with an oblique row of seven scales above it under 

 the dorsal fin, and four below it ; the lateral line itself con- 

 cave to the dorsal line throughout its whole length. The fin- 

 rays are in this specimen 



D. 9 : P. 16 : V. 9 : A. 10 : C- 19. 



The colour of the top of the head, nape, and back, dusky 

 blue, becoming brighter on the sides, and passing into silvery 

 white on the belly ; dorsal and caudal fins dusky brown ; 

 pectoral, ventral, and anal fins, pale orange red ; the irides 

 orange ; the cheeks and operculum silvery white. 



