372 ANACANTHINI. 



formed of the integument, but near the caudal the rays are 

 smaller and more crowded, so that these cutaneous lobes be- 

 come obsolete. There are smaller and less distinctly formed 

 tips on the dorsal, and in that fin likewise the posterior rays 

 are more slender and more closely approximated. Generally 

 the rays are simple, tapering, and jointed, the most distal 

 ones being however divided at the tips. 



The caudal rays are direct, parallel to one another as well as 

 to the axis of the fish ; slender, short, touching each other, and 

 occupying so little space as not to interfere with the acuteness 

 of the tail : they are inserted into the terminal base of a trian- 

 gular interspinous bone, whose apex is attached to the last ver- 

 tebra. The numbers of rays given at the beginning of the 

 article were ascertained after repeated trials, and are correct, 

 as regards the vertical fins, within two or three of the whole 

 number, the slender rays near the caudal occasioning doubt to 

 that extent. The rays of the caudal itself are easily counted 

 by aid of the lens, and there is little difficulty with the pecto- 

 rals. Skin as in the preceding species ; the pores are less con- 

 spicuous, but seem to be similarly situated to those of the 

 spotless variety represented in Plate VII. 



Length of head contained rather more than six times in the 

 total length, and distant rather more than its own length from 

 the anus. The latter orifice is placed exactly at the end of the 

 first third of the whole fish. The eyes are two of their own 

 diameters removed from the tip of the gill-cover, and approach 

 within one diameter of the tip of the snout. 



Dimensions. 



Total length 5 "10 inches. 



From premaxillary syrnphysis to tip of gill-cover, mouth 



closed 0-81 



From ditto to anus 1 - 70 



Length of pectoral 0'40 



Height of head at the nape 0'40 



Breadth at ditto O40 



