tip of the snout as to the gill-opening. Its diameter is 

 one-fifth of the length of the head. The upper rim of the 

 orbit is slightly prominent, and the interorbital space, 

 whose breadth exceeds the diameter of the eye by a third, 

 is flat, the flatness reaching from the hind head to near the 

 nostrils. One nasal orifice, with a tubular rim, is situated 

 a short way before the eye. The other opening is very 

 small, and close to the edge of the snout, but it does not 

 differ in appearance from the neighbouring pores. 



The head is almost entirely destitute of scales, and its 

 upper surface is rough with innumerable, porous, conical 

 papillae. On the side of the head the roughness is 

 produced by minute crests, or thin, short, cuticular ridges, 

 which occasionally anastomose, or divide. The scales of 

 the body terminate on the nape in a convex curve, which 

 is on a line with the upper ends of the preopercula, and 

 sweeps backwards on each side to the gill-openings. An- 

 terior to this there is a small patch of scales on each limb 

 of the supra-scapular, and four or five small round scales, 

 deeply imbedded in the integument, lie in a line, stretching 

 from the inferior edge of the orbit over the temples. Many 

 small open pores are scattered over the head, particularly 

 on the snout and lips. Five remarkable ones perforate the 

 disk of the preoperculum, and there are three on each 

 limb of the lower jaw. The preorbitar has an oblong 

 rectangular form, and is of moderate size, but its form is 

 concealed by the integument which is continuous with the 

 cheek. The rest of the suborbitar chain is merely a row 

 of small tubes, closely embracing the under half of the 

 orbit. 



The mouth is terminal and rather small, extending back- 

 wards only to the anterior third of the eye. The tumid 

 and roughish lips fold back on the intermaxillaries and 

 lower jaw. The teeth on the jaws are short, subulate, and 

 slightly curved, and near the symphyses are disposed in 

 four or five rows, which on the limbs of the jaws are 

 reduced to one. Those forming the exterior row are a little 

 stouter than the rest. There is a narrow but firm velum 

 behind the teeth on both jaws. The roof of the mouth is 

 smooth, and the pharyngeal teeth are a Utile smaller than 

 those of the jaws. The rather slender maxillary is con- 

 cealed, for the greater part of its length, when the jaws 

 are closed, by the edge of the preorbitar. Its lower, wider, 

 and truncated end, passes beyond the preorbitar, curves a 

 little forwards, and is exposed at the angle of the mouth. 

 The preoperculum has an obtusely elliptical outline, 

 approaching to the segment of a circle, with a perfectly 

 entire edge, which is free, and capable of being elevated. 

 The bony operculum has a semi-circular notch in the 

 upper part of its posterior edge, the bone there being 

 strengthened by two low ribs, whose points form the cor- 

 ners of the notch. Two-thirds of a disk of the bone is 

 below the notch. The suboperculum is much less high. 

 These parts are concealed in the recent fish, but show a 

 little as the integument dries. The thin interoperculum 

 is rather broad. The gill-raj's ai'e stoutish, and some- 

 what curved, and the gill-membrane is a little narrowed at 

 the edge, which causes it to swell out when fully extended, 

 the play of the pieces of the gill-cover producing a corre- 

 sponding bulging out of the sides of the head. The mem- 

 branes are united on the throat, and a free edge is left 



where they adhere to the isthmus.* On the rays the 

 cuticle is rough, but it is smooth in the folds of the mem- 

 brane. The bones of the humeral chain are smooth. 



The scales are moderately large, there being fifty-four 

 in a row between the gill-opening and base of the caudal, 

 exclusive of two or three small ones on the latter fin, and 

 eighteen in a vertical row anteriorly, of which six are 

 above the lateral line. Each scale is truncated at the base, 

 has two parallel sides, and a rounded free edge, its length 

 and breadth being about equal. Ten or twelve diverging 

 fuiTows cross the centre of the disk, and end on the basal 

 edge, where they produce a corresponding number of cre- 

 natures. The semicircular tip is covered with thick epi- 

 dermis, which under the lens appears to be dotted with 

 stelliform specks. When the integument is removed, little 

 pits appear on the scale, but there are no rough points, or 

 the slightest indication of teeth. This is the character of 

 the scales generally on the back, belly and tail, but on the 

 sides behind the pectoral the scales are more truncated at 

 the tip, without the membranous edge, and are distinctly 

 toothed on the edge. The diff"erence of the two kinds of 

 scales is not readily perceptible to the naked eye. The 

 lateral line runs near the back, and terminates under the 

 thirtieth ray of the second dorsal, recommencing two 

 scales lower down, and running along mid-height of the 

 tail to end at the base of the caudal. Except two or 

 three crowded rows of small scales on the base of the 

 caudal, and the patch which encroaches on the base of the 

 pectoral anteriorly, there are no scales on the fins. The 

 pectoral is naked posteriorly. 



The ventrals, having much resemblance to those of an 

 Eleotris, are situated before the bases of the pectorals. 

 Their small spine has a flexible tip. The pectorals are 

 rather large, and are rounded. They reach beyond the 

 anus. The first dorsal commences over the base of the 

 pectorals, and is sustained by five flexible rays. The 

 second dorsal begins close to the end of the first one, and 

 has an even outline. All its rays are jointed, but the first 

 is unbranched, though its tip is divided by a dark line. 

 The last ray is divided to the base. The anal, similar in 

 form to the second dorsal, has no spinous ray. The caudal 

 is even at the end, with the corners rounded oflf. 



The colours of the fish appear to have been obscure, but 

 they cannot be made out from the specimens. The gill- 

 membrane and under surface of the head are white. There 

 are some dark marks on the gill-cover, and the whole 

 upper surface is darkish. 



The intestines of the specimen examined were some- 

 what damaged, but the stomach was distinctly made out 

 to be wide, with a short conical pyloric branch going ofT 

 laterally at about the third of the height, from the rounded 

 fundus. The internal surface, especially towards the 

 pylorus, is finely reticulated, and coarsely plaited. The 

 pylorus is much contracted, and five obtuse cajca surround 

 the gut immediately below it, the longest exceeding an 

 inch in length. The gut was filled with Entomostrava, 

 and a few small shells. 



* In the Eleoti-is tlie gill-membrane is attached to each side of the 

 narrow islhimis, is not united to its fellow, exterior to it, and conse- 

 quently has no free edge at the union. 



