324 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVI, 



of eye. Upper surface of head with ridges bearing some short spines 

 at intervals, but not serrated, except the supraorbital ridge, which has 3 

 or 4 teeth. Praeoperculum with a strong spine at the angle, as long us 

 its distance from the orbit ; below it a short spinous projection and some- 

 times another weaker one below that. Dorsal IX, 12 ; the third or 

 fourth spine the highest, nearly \ the length of head ; soft dorsal highest 

 anteriorly, the first ray as long as the longest spine. Anal 13. Pecto- 

 ral extending \ the distance from its base to origin of anal, ventral to 

 origin of anal. Caudal truncate. 100-104 scales in a longitudinal 

 series ; lateral line spinate for its whole extent. Spinous dorsal with a 

 large black blotch between the sixth and eighth spines ; soft dorsal with 

 small dark spots on the membrane in front of each ray ; caudal blackish, 

 with a pale lower edge ; anal pale, immaculate ; pectoral with small dark 

 spots ; ventral blackish, with a narrow white edge. 



Length, to base of caudal, 190 mm. 



Three specimens from Muscat, 15-30 fathoms. 



Lbpidotrigla omanensis (PI. II, fig. 2). 



Depth of body 3^-3? times in the length (without caudal^, length 

 of head 2§ times. Snout a little longer than eye, the diameter of which 

 is 3^-3f times in the length of head and equal to the depth of the 

 prseorbital. Inter orbital width 5 times in the length of head. Maxil- 

 lary extending to vertical from anterior margin of eye or a little 

 beyond. Snout with a pair of short strongly divergent pointed pro- 

 cesses, with entire or minutely denticulated edges ; interorbital space 

 strongly concave, and with a well-marked transverse groove behind it. 

 Dorsal VIII, 14 ; the second and third spines the longest, less than 

 \ the length of head. Anal 14. Pectoral extending to above 5th 

 ray of anal, ventral to origin of anal. Caudal slightly emarginate. 

 Scales feebly ciliated, those of the lateral line unarmed ; 53-57 scales in a 

 longitudinal series, 2^ series above the lateral line ; 21-23 spiny plates 

 along each side of the bases of the dorsal fins. Inner surface of pectoral 

 black, without white spots but with a white margin which is broadest 

 below ; spinous dorsal blackish posteriorly ; other fins immaculate. 

 Length, to base of caudal, 88 mm. 



Three specimens from the Sea of Oman at a depth of 180 fathoms. 

 In the allied L. spiloptera (Gthr.) the outer edges of the prceorbital 

 spines are parallel instead of divergent as in this species, whilst the 

 number of fin-rays is different. 



