PAMLT, XVI— CAEANGID^. 241 



6. Equula Blochii, Plate LII, fig. 5. 



Zeus notatus, (Bloch, MSS.) Cuv. and Val. 



Equula Blochii, Cuv. and Val. s, p. 84 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 105. 



B. V, D. ^, P. 18, V. 1/5, A. A, C. 17. 



Length of head 4-1-, of caudal 4f to 5, height of body 2| to 3^ in the total length. Eyes — diameter 

 1/3 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, from 3/4 to 1 apart. Dorsal profile rather more convex 

 than that of the abdomen, a slight concavity over the occiput, the snout is rather pointed and not truncated. 

 Upper sui'face of orbit serrated, which serrations appear to become obsolete in some old specimens : a pair of 

 small spines at its anterior-superior angle, the distance between the outer edges of the supraorbital spines equals 

 2/5 of the length of the head. The posterior margin of the maxilla reaches to below the first third or middle of 

 the eye. Lower edge of preopercle strongly serrated. Cavity on upper surface of head at least twice as long as 

 wide. Teeth — in a single row in the jaws. Fins — dorsal spines of moderate strength, the second rather the 

 longest, and equal or nearly equal, to 1/2 the height of the body, the third and fourth serrated anteriorly in their 

 lower halves. Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout. Ventral reaches to the anal. Second anal 

 spine 2i in the height of the body : the third finely serrated anteriorly. Scales — on body (except base of 

 pectoral fin), breast, and chest : a rather large one at base of ventral. Lateral-line — in about GO tubes, situated 

 on rounded scales. Colours — sUvery, with a dark brown blotch over the nape, and a black mark in the upper 

 half of the spinous dorsal fin from the third to the sixth spines. Vertical zig-zag yellow lines on the back and 

 sides, which fade soon after death : base of pectoral posteriorly dark coloured. 



Sahitat. — Seas of India, where it is common. I have it from Bombay, Malabar, Madras, Calcutta, and 

 Akyab, and many young from the Sunderbunds. The specimen figured (life-size) is from Bombay. 



7. Equula brevirostris. 



Cuv. and Val. x, p. 84 (not Blacker, Batav. and Oost Java). 



B. V, D. J-, P. 18, V. 1/5, A. A, C. 17. 



Length of head 4i, of caudal 4-1-, height of body 2f in the total length. Eyes — diameter nearly 

 2f in length of head, 3/4 of a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. Body oval, dorsal and abdominal 

 profiles equally convex : snout pointed, not obtuse except just at its anterior extremity. Interorbital cavity 

 nearly twice as long as broad. A pair of well developed spines at the anterior-superior angle of the eye ; 

 supraorbital edge finely serrated. The distance from the external sides of the bases of the orbital spines equals 

 1/2 the length of the head. The maxilla reaches to below the first third of the eye : lower jaw very concave 

 inferiorly. Lower limb of preopercle finely serrated. Teeth — in a single fine row in either jaw. Fins — dorsal 

 spines moderately strong and compressed, the second equals 4/9 (sometimes 1/3) of the height of the body : the 

 third is strongly serrated in its lower half, whilst the fourth is in its lower fourth. Pectoral as long as the head 

 excluding the snout. Ventral reaches 2/3 of way to the anal. Second anal spine 2/5 of height of body, the 

 third is strongly serrated in its lower half. Caudal forked. Free portion of tail as high at its base as it 

 is long. Scales — extended over body, but not on breast or chest. Lateral-line — in from 58 to 64 distinct tubes, 

 and not quite reaching to the base of the caudal fin. Colours — an oval black blotch on the upper half of the 

 spinous dorsal fin, from the third to the seventh spines (it is sometimes very faint), and a dark brown transverse 

 blotch across the nape of the neck. Pectoral posteriorly black at its base. A narrow yellow band passes from 

 above the eye to the centre of the base of the caudal fin. 



There are two Indian Equula' s (? species) very similar, the one described above, E. brevirostris, which is 

 destitute of scales on the breast and chest, but which is otherwise similar to the second or E. Blochii. The latter 

 was described from a stufied specimen still at Berlin, and they may prove to be varieties of the same species. 



E. nuchalis, Tem. and Schleg. is very similar, but the dorsal and anal spines appear to be usually shorter, 

 but this again is subject to considerable variation. Dr. Hubrecht at Leyden having kindly examined the tj^e, 

 observes that the breast and chest are apparently scaleless : still microscopic scales may perhaps exist partly 

 hidden in the integument. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to China : attaining at least 4| inches in length. 



8. Equula lineolata, Plate LI, C. fig. 3. 



Cuv. and Val. x, p. 86 ; Bleeker, Makr. p. 83 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 502. 



B. V, D. tL, p. 19, V. 1/5, A. ^, C. 17. 



Length of head 45-, of caudal 4f , height of body 2J in the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/3 of length 

 of head, 3/4 of a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. Body of an oblong form, with the dorsal and abdominal 

 profiles equally convex, a slight concavity over the occiput. Interorbital cavity at least twice as long as wide. 

 A pair of minute spines over the anterior third of the orbit, and the distance between their outer margins equals 

 3i in the length of the head : supraorbital edge serrated or only a little rough to the feel. MaxUla reaches to 

 below front third of the eye : inferior edge of mandible very slightly concave. Lower edge of preopercle 

 minutely serrated. Teeth — fine and in a single row. Fins — dorsal spines weak, the second arched, and equal 

 to 2 or 2^ in the height of the body, the third and foui-th anteriorly serrated in their lower halves. Pectoral as 

 long as the head excluding the snout. Ventral does not quite reach the anal. Second anal spine arched. 



