ACANTHOPTERYGII. 123 



are no palatine teeth, and that the dorsal and pectoral rays are ex- 

 cessively elongated. 



These fishes are from India, and are not less remarkable for 

 this singular prolongation, than for the beauty of their coloui'- 



Blepsias. 



The head compressedj cheeks mailed; fleshy cirri under the lower 

 jawj five branchial rays; ventrals very small, and one very high dor- 

 sal divided by emarginations into three parts. 



The only species known are from the Aleutian islands. (2) 



Apistus. 



The palatine teeth and entire dorsal of the the Scorpaena; but the 

 few rays of their pectorals are all branched. Their distinguishing 

 character consists in a stout spine on the suborbital, which, inclin- 

 ing from the cheeks, becomes a most dangerous weapon.(3) They 

 are all small. 



Those of the first division have a scaly body, and some of these 

 have a free ray under a large pectoral. (4) 



Others have ordinary pectorals, without fi*ee rays. (5) 

 In a second subdivision the body is naked; some of these also have 

 a free ray under the pectoral, (6) and others not.(7) 



Agriopus. 



No suborbital spine; the dorsal still higher than in Apistes, and 

 reaching between the eyes; the neck elevated, muzzle narrowed. 



(1) Sc. voUtans, Gm., Bl., 184; Sc. antennata, Bl., 185: Sc. Kosnigii, Id. New 

 Stokh. Mem., X, vii, and several new species described in our 4th vol. 



(2) Blennius villosus, Steller, or Trachinus cirrhosus. Pall. Zoog., Russ., Ill, 

 237, No. 172. Blepsias is a name descended to us from the ancients without any 

 characteristic designation. 



{o)'A7ri9oc,per/idus. 



(4) ^p. aplatus, Cuv., Russel, 160, B; Scorp. carinata, Bl., Schn. 



(5) Coitus australis, J. White, New South, IV, 266; JIp. taenianotus, Cuv., 

 Lacdp. IV, iii, 2, a figure entitled Txnianote large raie, but one which has nothing 

 in common with the T. large raie, of the text, IV, 303 and 304, which is a Mala- 

 canthus, and the same that is represented. III, xxviii, 2, under the name oi Labre 

 large raie,- Perca cotto'ides, L., Mus. Ad. Fred., II, p. 84.' 



(6) ^p. minus, Cuv., Russel, 159; Sc. monodactyle, Bl., Schn. 



(7) The species ai'e new, and described, as well as others of the preceding sub- 

 divisions, in our 4th vol. 



