268 gray's chak. 



of the head elevated above the border of the orbit, the diameter 

 of which is one fifth of the length of the head, shorter than 

 the snout; interorbital space convex, with a prominent ridge 

 along the middle, and with a pair of series of pores. Snout 

 slightly compressed, subcorneal, length of the jaAvs equal. 

 Nostrils midway between the end of the snout and the border 

 of the eye; the hindmost Avider and round, the anterior a very 

 narrow vertical slit; both separated by a narrow cutaneous 

 bridge. The maxillary (mystache) extends to the vertical from 

 the hindmost border of the eye, and is armed with sixteen 

 very small teeth, the hindmost rudimentary; all the other teeth 

 small, four in the intermaxillary, twelve in each mandible, 

 two to four in the vomer, fifteen on each palatine, and four 

 pairs on the tongue. The suboperculum, which forms the 

 hindmost part of the gill- cover, does not cover the exposed 

 portion of the shoulder above the root of the pectoral fin. 

 Dorsal fin with thirteen or fourteen rays, its origin nearer the 

 end of the snout than to the root of the tail, fourth and fifth 

 rays the longest. The distance of the adipose fin from the 

 dorsal is less than twice the length of the base of the latter; 

 anal fin with twelve rays, its origin at the middle between the 

 root of the caudal fin and of the outer ventral ray; fourth, fifth, 

 and six rays the longest. The tail forked, the lobes pointed. 

 Pectoral fin with thirteen or fourteen rays, its base free of the 

 operculum, and ending at a short distance from the ventral; 

 ventral with nine rays, its origin below the ninth, tenth, and 

 eleventh rays of the dorsal. The scales very conspicuous, and 

 comparatively much larger than in any other of the British 

 Chars; those of the lateral line not larger than the others. As 

 regards colour the sides and belly are silvery, the scales on the 

 sides of the back have a silvery centre and a blackish border; 

 the back itself bluish black, belly Avith a reddish shade; sides 

 with scattered light orange-colou^'ed dots; fins blackish; the 

 dorsal lighter superiorly; ventrals with a narrow whitish border. 

 Head silvery, black above. We shall say more about this 

 species when we have described the next that follows. 



