BY J. DOUGLAS OGILBY. 



733 



time recorded from Australasian seas; it had, however, previously- 

 been recorded from many parts of the Malay Archipelago, if 

 we follow Giinther in identifying Bleeker's species with it. 



HOWELLID^, fam.nov. 



Body oblong, compressed, covered with strongly ctenoid, 

 adherent scales. Lateral line present, interrupted. Head 

 entirely scaly. Mouth with rather large oblique cleft. Pre- 

 maxillaries protractile; maxillary large, with supplemental bone. 

 Dentition feeble. Nostrils separate, the posterior trenching upon 

 the orbital ring. Eyes lateral, large. Preorbital of moderate 

 width, Opercle, interopercle, and subopercle spinigerous. Gills 

 four, a slit behind the fourth; four branchiostegals; no barbels. 

 Two separate dorsals, the spinous not depressible in a scaly groove; 

 anal with three spines; ventrals thoracic, with five soft rays; 

 pectorals elongate; caudals deeply forked, with sharp basal fulcra 

 above and below. Colouration dark. 



Omitting the barbuliferous families Polymixikl(e and Mullidfn, 

 which do not appear to bear any close relationship to the true 

 berycids there are still left three families — Monocentridce, Anoirvor- 

 lopidcB and Holocentridce — in which the dorsal tin is wholly divided 

 or deeply notched. To these must now be added the Howsllidce. 



The following analysis will serve to distinguish the families : — 



a. Head with luminous glands. 



b. Luminous glands on the lips, immobile; scales large and 

 coarse; eight branchiostegals; dorsal spines strong, more or 

 less isolated; ventral rays rudimentary, 2 to 4. 



MoNOCENTRIDvE. 



hh. Luminous glands below the eyes, mobile; scales small; seven 

 branchiostegals ; dorsal spines weak, connected ; ventral 

 rays normal, 5. 



Anomalopid^. 



