16. RHOUBOIDICHTHYS. 437 



tirely covered with smaU round blue and yeUomsh spots. A black 

 spot on the lateral line, 

 Japan. Celebes. 



a. Very young. China. Presented by Vice- AdmiialSirE. Belcher C B 



b. Adult : bad state. From Dr. P. v. Bleeker's CoUection. 



11. Rhomboidichthys assimilis. 

 D. 87. A. 63. L. lat. 80. 

 The height of the body is rather more than one-half of the total 

 length Onth the caudal), the length of the head two-ninths ; head 

 much higher than long ; anterior profile of the head obhque, some- 

 what concave. Cleft of the mouth narrow, with the lower iaw pro- 

 nuueut, and with the maxillary extending to below the front margin 

 ot the orbit; snout shorter than the eye, the diameter of which is 

 two-ninths ot the length of the head. The maxillary is provided 

 Avith a smaU knob superiorly, the edges of the orbits are smooth • 

 length ot the maxillary nearly one-fourth of that of the head. Teeth 

 in the upper jaw in a double, those in the lower in a single series • 

 mterorbital space concave, scaly, its ^vidth being one-half of the 

 ength of the head GiU-rakcrs very short, triangular. Vent on 

 tne lett side. All the scales smooth ; no spines along the base of the 

 dorsal and anal tins. The longest dorsal rays, which are nearly half 

 as long as the head, are behind the middle of the fin; the dorsal 

 tei-minates close by the caudal. The length of the caudal fin is con- 

 tained five times and two-thirds in the total. The upper pectoral 

 rays arc elongate. Uniform brown (in spirits). 

 Chinese Seas. 



a. Six inches long. China. Presented by Sir J. Richardson. 



/3. Scales of moderate size and deciduous. 

 12. Rhomboidichthys grandisquama. 

 Rhombus >p^ii.ni.is(iua.n&, Schleg. Faun. Japou. Poiss. p. 183. pi 92 f..3&4 

 D. 76-83. A. 58-62. L. lat. 40. 

 The height of the body is a Uttle less than one-half of the total 

 length (without caudal). Scales deciduous ; interorbital space scalv 

 concave, its ^^-idth being equal to the chameter of the orbit in adult 

 specimens, but narrower m immature ones. Mouth narrow, the 

 length of the maxillary being equal to the diameter of the eve or to 

 two-sevenths of the length of the head. ilaxiUaiT provided xxitli a 

 more or less pointed knob. Teeth in a single sJrics. The dorsal 

 terminates immechately before the root of the caudal. Gill-rakers 

 very short, triangular. Uniform whitish (in spiiits) ; caudal with a 

 pair of black spots on the middle of its length, each spot being close 

 to the upper and lower margins. 



Chinese and Japanese Seas. N.W. coast of America. 

 (I, h, c, d, e-,j. Adult and hall-grown. China. 

 h. Half-grown : bad state. Oulf of Fonseca. Presented by Sir J. 

 Richardson. 



