30 



proportion to the total length than in any of the other species ; the proportion of 

 greatest breadth to length is about the same as in vulgaris and variegnia. But the body 

 is considerably narrower towards the tail than in either of the other species. The range 

 for the dorsal fin-rays in the above specimens is 69-77 ; Day gives 65-72. The range 

 of number for the anal fin-rays in the above table is 53-63; Day gives 50 to 56. 

 Day gives the lateral line scales as 72 ; the range in my specimens was 62 to 68. 



Fins. — The dorsal fin commences nearer to the mouth than in any of the other 

 species ; the base of the first ray being on the very apex of the snout, on a level 

 longitudinally with the upper border of the ventral eye. The pectorals are as in 

 variegnta rudimentary; the right is contained about 4^ times in the length of the head ; 

 the left is extremely minute. 



Eyes. — The dorsal is one-half its longitudinal diameter in front of the ventral and 

 less than its diameter from the edge of the snout ; they are very close together, the 

 distance between them equal to half the longitudinal diameter of either. 



Nostrils on the right side in their usual position, the posterior short and small, the 

 anterior tubular and long ; on the left side similar to those of variegata. 



Mouth strongly curved downwards as in vulgaris ; snout rounded as in that 

 species. 



The villi on the lower side the snout are arranged in the same manner as in 

 variegata. 



The scales absolutely are smaller than in either of the other species, though, as shown 

 by the number of scales in the lateral line, they are in proportion to the length of the 

 body larger than in the other species ; and they are not so broad in proportion to their 

 length as in variegata. One of the scales from the middle of the body has 21 rows of 

 spines, 4 spines in each of the middle rows (PI. XIV, 5). 



No branches of the lateral line are visible externally on either side of the head. 



Colour. — It is curious that, although in the character of its pectoral fins and of the 

 villi of the lower side of the snout, this species closely resembles variegata, its markings 

 are almost the same as those of vulgaris. In other words, there is here no correlation 

 between the marking and other characters. 



The ground colour of the right side during life is a dull reddish-brown. On this 

 ground there are dark brown spots arranged as in vulgaris ; there are three principal 

 longitudinal rows of these, of which the central row contains usually five spots, the 

 dorsal and ventral rows seven or eight. Alternating with the brown spots are light 

 blue ones representing the vfhite s-pots of vulgaris. There are also two intermediate 

 longitudinal rows of dark spots. But the markings of the dorsal and anal fins differ 

 considerably from those of vulgaris ; these fins show no longitudinal bands of colour, 

 1)ut numerous narrow transverse stripes, each sixth or seventh ray being coloured a 

 deep black ; the rest of these fins has a yellowish colour which is deepest towards the 

 base of the fins. The anterior part of the liead is free from spots, the tail has a little 

 black at its middle third. 



