174 SERRANUS NIGRITUS. 



The mouth is very large ; the lips, and especially the lower, is fleshy and thick ; 

 the inferior jaw is the longer, and makes a part of the facial outline when the 

 mouth is closed. The upper jaw is armed with a broad group of conical, pointed, 

 recurved teeth, those in front being the longest ; on the outside of this group is a 

 single row of larger teeth of the same form, but less recurved at their points ; in 

 front are four strong, stout, canine teeth. The lower jaw is armed like the upper, 

 but it wants the outer larger row of teeth. The vomer has an angular patch, 

 and the palate-bones have an oblong group of similar conical, pointed, recurved 

 teeth. The pharyngeal bones are furnished with teeth similar in form and size 

 to the smaller teeth of the upper jaw. 



The pre-opercle is rounded slightly at its angle, and has its ascending border 

 directed rather forwards ; its angle and its border for some distance are serrated. 

 The opercle is large, and terminates behind in three naked spines, from which a 

 pointed fold of skin is continued backwards. The sub-opercle is intimately joined 

 to the opercle. The inter-opercle is broad, and semicircular. The head above from 

 the posterior margin of the orbits is smooth ; the cheeks, jaws, and pre-opercle are 

 covered with small scales, and the opercle with scales of larger size. The gill- 

 openings are very large ; there are seven branchial rays. 



The dorsal fin begins in front of the termination of the opercle, and has ten 

 spines, the anterior short, and fifteen branched rays. The pectoral is broad, and 

 rounded ; it begins nearly with the dorsal, and has eighteen rays. The ventral 

 arises with the pectoral, but is shorter, and has one spine and five soft rays, the 

 internal of which is joined to the belly. The anal has three spines, the ante- 

 rior very short, and ten soft rays. The caudal is broad and rounded,* and has 

 eighteen rays. 



The scales are very small, closely adherent, quadrilateral, longest in the hori- 

 zontal direction, and rounded and ciliated behind. The lateral line is concurrent 



* It so appeared in the only specimen that I ever saw, wliich was somewhat mutilated. 



