Tcnrnror.nnv. 207 



M. wAiGiENsis, Quoy ot Gaim. 



B. vii. ; D. iJ; P. 14; Y. 1 ; A. % ; C. IG. 



Xo spines on tlic licad or groove below the eye. luterorbital spafc convex. A 

 nasal tentacle half the diaiuctcr of the orbit. Dor.sal spines strong, increasing to 

 the fourth. Colour reddish, marbled with brown. Some dark marks radiate iVoiu 

 the eye. All the tins spotted or banded with brown or black. 



i'he Nicobars. 



Sebastichthys, Gill. 



Differs from Sebastes in having no palatine teeth. 



S. Strongia, C'uv. et Val. 



B. vi. ; I). IIIJ I; r. 19; V. \ ; A. J; C. 15. 



Supraorbital ridge spined. Two spinato lines run posteriorly from the orbit. 

 Two strong spines on the lower margin of preoperele, and a spiny ridge from the 

 angle of preoperele to l)(dow the orbit. Three strong spines on prcorbital, and a 

 very strong one on the shoulder. Two tentacles above tlie orbit and several more 

 about the head. Dorsal spines strong, increasing to the ninth. Colour brown, 

 banded with darker. Fins irregularly banded in dotted lines. 



The .\ndaraans. 



SconpjEXA, Aiicdi. 



Branchiostegals 7. Head large, with a scaleless groove on the occiput, and 

 armed with spines and usually skinny ilaps. Villiform teeth on jaws, vomer, and 

 palatines. A single dorsal fin deeply notched between the two portions. Pectoral 

 large. No air-vessel. 



S. nAPLODACTVLUs, Blccker. 



B. vii.; D. 11 i; P. 5 + xii. ; V. J^ ; A. J ; C. 15. 



Interorbital space deeply concave, no groove below the eyes. Numerous 

 spines and several fleshy tentacles about the head. A strong spine above the base of 

 the pectoral. Dorsal spines increase to the fourth and decrease to the eleventh. 

 Soft dorsal slightly higher than the spinous. Colour brownish black, banded and 

 marbled with darker. Anal dark banded basally. Two vertical bands on the caudal, 

 which is dark-margined, edged with white. 



Andamans. 



ScoRP^xopsis, Heeled. 



Characters of Scorpa-na, but without palatine teeth. 



S. o.wcEPHALA, Bleeker. 



B. vii.; D. 11 i\r; P. 6 + xii.; V. ^ ; A. ^ ; C. 13. 



Interorbital space deei)ly concave. A deep groove below the front third of the 

 orbit. A gi-oovo across the occiput, with one anterior and two jjosterior spines. 

 Three strong spiues and a tentacle on the orbit. A strong turbinal spine. A tentacle 

 to the front nostril. Preorbital ridged and spined. Opercle and temporal ridge 

 spined. A spine above the base of the pectoral. A large tentacle at the gape, ami 

 some small ones on the preoperele and lateral line. The third dorsal .spine slightly 

 longer than the fourth. Colour reddisli, clouded with brown and black spotted. 

 Dorsal anteriorly dark banded. Fins blotched. 



The Nicobars. 



Pterois, Cuvier. 



Branchiostegals 7. Head as in Srorpana, but without an occipital groove, and 

 without palatine teeth. A deeply-notched dorsal fin, with 12 to 13 spiues. Air- 

 Tessel large. 



P. ZEBRA, Cuv. et. Val. 



B. vii.; D. 12 -A ; P. 17; V. i; A. g'-r; C. 14. 



