CLASS PISCES. 145 



except that they are without palate-teeth, and their 

 dorsal and pectoral rays are excessively elongated. 



They are Indian fish, not less remarkable for this 

 singular elongation than for the pleasing arrangement 

 of their colours . 



Blepsias 



Have the head compressed, the cheeks shielded, 

 fleshy barbels under the lower jaw, five rays to the 

 gills ; very small ventral tins, and one dorsal fin, 

 which is* very high, divided into three by emargin- 

 ations. 



Only one is known, belonging to the Aleutian 

 Islands 2 . 



Apistes 



Have the palate teeth and the undivided dorsal fin of 

 scorpaena, but the rays of their pectoral fins less 

 numerous are all branched. Their particular cha- 

 racter consists in a strong suborbital spine, which, 

 jutting out from the cheek, becomes a perfidious 

 weapon, (amoToq perfidus.) 



They are fish of a small size. The first subdivi- 



1 Scorpcena volitans, Gm. Bl. 184 ; Sc. antennata, Bl. 185 ; Sc. 

 Kcenigii, id. Nouv. Mem. de Stock, x. 7. ; and many new species de- 

 scribed in our fourth volume. 



2 Blennius villosus, Stel. or Trachinus cirrhosus, Pall. Zoog. Ross, 

 iii. 237, No. 172. Blepsias is a name left by the ancients without 

 characteristic designation. 



VOL. X. L 



