ECHENEIS LINEATA. 101 



GENUS ECHENEIS. — Linnmis. 



Characters. Head large, flat, and covered above with an oval disk formed 

 by numerous transverse bony plates, with their edges directed backwards and 

 serrated ; maxillary, inter-maxillary, and vomerine teeth small ; soft dorsal fin 

 opposite the anal ; body elongated, sub-fusiform ; scales minute, cycloid ; branchial 

 rays eight. 



ECHENEIS LINEATA. — HolhrooJc. 



Plate XIV. Fig. 2. 



Specific Characters. Body above olive-brown ; belly whitish ; a dark hori- 

 zontal band begins at the lower jaw, and runs to the tail ; above it is a pale band, 

 and below, one of bright sulphur-colour ; upper and lower margin of caudal white ; 

 adhesive disk with twenty-one plates. D. 37. P. 18. V. 1-5. A. 33. C. 18. 



Synonyme. Suck Fish. 



Description. The head is large, broad, concave above, Avhere it is occupied by 

 the oval adhesive disk, which extends from near the anterior margin of the vomer 

 in front to the middle of the pectoral fin behind ; its border is fleshy, thick, free, 

 movable, and elevated. It is divided in the mesial line; and on each side are 

 twenty-one transverse plates, their free margins directed backwards and serrated. 

 The snout is broad and rounded. The eyes occupy the median plane of the head, 

 and are midway between the tip of the lower jaw and the posterior margin of the 

 opercle. The nostrUs are small, closely approximated, and nearer to the orbit than 

 to the snout. The mouth is horizontal, broad, but short, as it extends only to the 

 anterior nostril ; the lower jaw is rather pointed in front, and is so prolonged be- 

 yond the upper that its teeth are exposed when the mouth is closed. Both jaws 

 are armed with numerous small, card-like teeth ; there are two broad groups in 

 the lower jaw; that of the upper is very narrow. The vomer is very large and 



