BY WILLIAM MACLEAY, F.L.S. 419 



the head is covered with scales of large size, but these become 

 very minute towards the lips ; the longitudinal line has forty large 

 scales, and three or four smaller ones near the caudal. From the 

 transverse line that would pass over the centre of the eye to the 

 root of the dorsal there are twenty scales ; the body is very high, 

 and its lower profile very convexed ; the scales number fifteen on 

 the transverse line ; they are plain, rather rugose, with a short 

 ridge that does not extend to the root, neither to the margin ; the 

 first dorsal is placed at equal distance from the extremity of the 

 snout and the upper base of the caudal fin ; it is formed of four 

 spines ; the first of which is the longest, and is equal to the space 

 between the eyes ; the second dorsal is placed behind the root of 

 the first at a distance rather less than the length of the head ; it 

 is formed of a spine and eight rays ; the first is not longer, of one 

 half of the height of the first ray ; the last is prolongated and 

 pointed ; there are a few very minute scales between the rays ; 

 the caudal is strongly forked ; it is scaly and formed of fourteen 

 long rays ; the anal is opposite to the second dorsal, and has the 

 same form ; it has three spines and eight rays ; the ventrals are 

 inserted at equal distance from the base of the pectorals and the 

 first dorsal ; the pectorals are short, broad and scaly ; their length 

 is contained one and a-half in the head ; they are very far from 

 attaining the vertical from the first dorsal, and their extremity 

 only covers the base of the tenth scale of the longitudinal line ; 

 they have fifteen rays. The eleventh and twenty-third transverse 

 lines of scales originate at the root of the first and second dorsal ; 

 there is a very large pectoral scale. 



The fish seems to have been silvery with the upper parts of an 

 obscured grey ; the longitudinal lines are well marked on the 

 specimens preserved in liquor ; there is a large golden blotch 

 behind the eye ; the length of my specimens, which are said by 

 Mr. Bostock to be of the average size, are about twelve inches ; 

 but a dried one he also sent me is fourteen. This sort inhabits 



