1G2 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



a light band Isetween the fourth and sixth dorsal spines : margins of pectorals orange : caudal -with a black 

 baud at its base, and another in its last third having a light edge : outer two-thirds of anal blackish : free rays 

 black, with white in their middle. 



This is the species observed upon by Jerdon (Madr. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 141,) as follows : — " I have 

 <lrawings and specimens of a very cui-ious fish, which I have marked as Apistus niger, C. V. I however hardly 

 think it can belong to this genus ; it appears to me rather an aberrant form of Pterois, allied to Swainson's 

 genus Bracliijrits." 



This fish is very co m mon at Madras, attaining about 4 inches in length : the specimen figured (life-size) 

 is from that locality. 



Ilahitat. — Coromandel coast of India, and China. 



Genus, 15 — Stnancidicm, Miill. 



Buffichthjs, Swains. 



Uranchiostegals seven. Mead monstrous and 'irregularly shaped, ltd wltliout sharp spines. Villiform teeth 

 on the jaws and vomer, hat not on the palatines. The soft dorsal continuous v)ith the spinous, less rays (6-9) than 

 spines (13) ; anal with 3 spines and few (5) rays : no pectoral appendu/jes. Scales absent : body and sometimes 

 the head with skinny flaps. Air-vessel small. Pyloric appendages few. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Synancidium hoiridum, D. 'fly^, A. -|. Eyes elevated : a deep saddle-shaped depression across the 

 occiput. 



1. Synancidium horridum, Plate XXXIX, fig. 3. 



Scorpmia horrida, Linn, i, p. 453 ; Bl. t. 183 ; Lacep. iii, p. 261, ii, t. 17, f. 2. 



Sy7tanceia horrida,!^. Sclxn. -p. VJi; Cuv. and Val. iv, p. 440; Bleeker, Verb. Bat. Gen. xsii, Scler. 

 p. 9, and Revis. Synan. 1874, p. 12. 



Baarpmna monstrosa, Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 117. 



Synanceia grossa. Gray and Hard. Ind. Zool. i, pi. 97. 



Buffichihys horrida et grossa, Swainson, Fish, ii, p. 268. 



Synanceia traehynis, Richards. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1842, is, p. 385. 



Synancidium horridum, Miill. Akad. Wiss. 1844, p. 163; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 144; Kner. Novara Fische, 

 p. 119. 



B. vii, D. i|:i3, P. 16, V. 1/5, A. a, C. 12, Ca3c. pyl. 3, Vert. 10/14. 



Length of head 1/3, of caudal 2/11 to 1/6, height of body 1/3 of tlic total length. Eyes — diameter 1/8 of 

 length of head, 3 diameters from end of snout. Crown of head ii-regularly saddle-shaped : a deep groove on the 

 cheeks, orbit raised. Teeth — vUliform in the jaws and on the vomer, which last, Bleeker observes, are not 

 invariably present.* J'wjs— dorsal spines stiff", the three first the highest and somewhat separated from the 

 others : the vertical fin more or less enclosed in skin. Articulated fin-rays branched. Skin with numerous 

 large and small tubercles even when on the fins : some large fringed tubercles along the lower edge of preopercle 

 and preorbital. Colours — brownish-fawn colour superiorly, becoming lighter below : irregular blotches on the 

 body, and smaller ones on the fins. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archijielago and beyond. 



Genus, 16 — Synanceia, Bl. Schn. 



Syna7iceichthys, Bleeker. 



Branchiostegals seven. Head monstrous, irregularly shaped but spnneless, no saddle-shaped fossa across the 

 occiput : no transvase elevation between the orbits, nor deep groove helmv the eyes. Villiform teeth on thejaivs, vomer 

 and pialatine bones edentulous. The soft dorsal coritiniious with the spinous, less rays (5-6) than spines (13-16) : 

 anal vnth 3 spines aiid feiu (5) rays, no pectoral appendages. Air-vessel_ present. Scales absent. Pyloric appen- 

 dages fevj. 



SYNOPSIS OP INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Synanceia verrucosa. D. J.|-, A. f . From the Red Sea, through tliose of India to the Malaj' 

 Archipelago and beyond. 



1. Synanceia verrucosa, Plate XXXIX, fig. 4. 

 Bl. Schn. p. 195, t. 45; Riipp. N. W. Fi.sche, p. 109 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 146; Klunz, Verb. z. b. Ges. 

 Wien, 1870, p. 811 ; Bleeker, R6vis. Sjm. 1874, p. 15. 



Scorpiasna bruchio, Lacep. iii, pp. 259, 272, pi. 12, f. 1. 



ScorpuMo, brachiata, Shaw, Zool. iv, pt. 2, p. 274. 



Synanceia sanguinolenta, Ehren. Pise. t. 3. 



Synanceia brachio, Cuv. and Val. iv, p. 447; Bleeker, Sclerop. p. 9. 



• Of course if the presence of vomerine teeth is inconstant, the genus Synancidium (wliich is chieflj separated from 

 Synanceia owing to their presence) has no generic value. 



