1897.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 79 



arched, a supplemental line curving from above opercle to the rudi- 

 mentary spines at occiput. Scales cycloid except those on upper 

 side of head. Seventeen barbels on under side of head, symmetric- 

 ally arranged in one specimen, not quite so in the other, the ante- 

 rior eight being in two transverse rows, those of the second row 

 wider apart ; and the posterior eight in four pairs. Color, in alco- 

 hol, silvery, with two indistinct vertical bars on side. 



SCATOPHAG-ID.E3. 



Scatophagus argus (Gmelin). 



Chcztodon argus Gmelin, 1248. 



Scatophagus argus, Giinther, Cat., II, 58, I860- 



Recorded by Sauvage. 



SIGANIDiE. 



Siganus albopunctatus (Schlegel). 



Amphacanthus albopunctatus Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Poiss., 128, 1847. 

 Teuthis albopunctata, Giinther, Cat. Fishes, III, 318, 1861. 



Three specimens, 5 inches long. 



Head 4 ; depth 2f ; eye 2 1. D. I-XIII, 10 ; A. VII, 9. 



Maxillary to below posterior nostril. Origin of dorsal over gill 



opening. Free spine in front of dorsal sagittate. Dorsal spines after 



the first, placed alternately on the right and left sides ; the fourth 



the longest, equal to half depth of body at origin of dorsal. Spines 



of anal alternating like those of dorsal, third and fourth equally 



longest. Ventral spines reaching front of pubic bones. Pectoral a 



little longer than half greatest depth of body. Least depth of tail 



half its length, spreading at base of fin. Caudal forked, proportion 



of longest and shortest rays 3 : 2. Color, in alcohol, reddish -brown 



above, gradually changing to silvery on belly, brown spot above 



pectorals not very distinct, a more or less distinct narrow line of 



darker brown along back near base of dorsal fin, numerous small 



elliptical white or silvery spots along sides which are usually farther 



apart than the larger diameter. 



TRIACANTHIDJE. 



Triacanthus brevirostris Schlegel. 



? Batistes biaculeatus Bennett, Fish, Ceylon, pi. 15, 1841. 

 Triacanthus brevirostris, Schlegel, Faun. Jap., p. 294, pi. 129, f. 2, 1847. 

 Triacanthus nieuhofi, Bleeker, All. Ich., V, p. 292, 217, f. 3, 1865. 

 Triacanthus brevirostris, Giinther, Cat. Fishes, VIII, 209, 1870 ; Day, Fishes 

 India, 685, 1888. 



One specimen, 9 inches long. 



Head 3i, depth 2|, eye 3} ; D. IV-22 ; A. 18. 



