45 



Head everywhere covered with harsh ctenoid scales; its length is from 

 two-fifths to a third the total without the caudal. The superficial bones of the 

 cranium are sculptured and striated : the edge of the preorbital is denticulated 

 and the horizontal limb of the opercle serrated. 



Snout about equal to the width of the inter-orbital space in length and 

 rather shorter than the eye. Bye round, a third or more the length of the head. 

 Nostrils almost superior. 



Mouth-cleft very small, the maxilla not nearly reaching to the anterior 

 border of the orbit. Gill-rakers short. Pseudobranchige very large. 



Scales small, harsh, ctenoid; in from 60 to 65 rows between the gill- 

 opening and the caudal fin. Small scales extend some way along the spines 

 and rays of the dorsal and anal fins. Lateral line strongly curved. 



2nd or 3rd dorsal spine the longest and by far the stoutest : its length is two- 

 thirds that of the head and twice that of the longest soft rays. 1st anal spine 

 the longest, about as long as the eye and about one-fourth longer than the 

 longest soft rays. 12 or 13 rays in the pectoral : the upper, which are the 

 longest, are more than three-quarters the length of the head. Ventral spine 

 very strong, its length is equal to that of the snout and eye combined : its edge 

 like the inner edge of the ventral rays is scabrous. 



Colour in life red : in spirit light brown or yellow. 



5 pyloric caeca, of which 2 are much enlarged. 



Two specimens from off Trincomali 320 to 296 fathoms, and one from off 

 the Malabar coast 68 to 148 fathoms. 



Eegd. Nos. 14134, 14135 : y 8 - 



Distribution : West Indies, Madeira, East Indian Seas, Japan. 



Family Trachifiidce. 



Ueanoscopus, Cuv. 



27. Uranoscopus crassiceps, Alcock. 



TJranoscopus trassiceps, Alcock, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. Sept. 1890, p. 205 : Illustrations of the Zoology of 

 t-he Investigator, Fishes, pl. X. fig. 4. 



B. 6. D. IV. ^ A. 13. P. 18. V. 1.5. 



Length of the head 2- to two-fifths of the total without the caudal ; its 



maximum breadth in repose (that is, when the opercles are not expanded for 

 defence) is two-thirds its length ; its greatest height (and that of the body) is 

 about one-fourth the total length of the body without the caudal. 



Bones of the head rugose : the antero-inferior angle of the preorbital pro- 

 duced and subacute : a spine on the lower border of the suboperculum and 4 



