8 CATALOGUE OF FISH. 



behind the tij) of the pectoral, is not much develoj^ed, and has 

 black marginal spots and stripes. 



Total length, '^O-SS in. Length of tail, 9-46 in. Length from 

 the tip of the snout to the gill-openings, 2 56 in. Length of the 

 pectoral, 063 in. 



Malabar (found by M. Dussuraior). 



13. Herpktoichthys regius. 



Ophisurus regius, Shaw, Rich., Ereh. S Terr. p. 106. 

 ? An Ophisurus ojAis, auctorum ? 



Body thickish for a fish of this family, rounded throughout, and 

 tapering towards the end of the tail. The pectoral, having 15 

 rays, is not quite as long as the gape ; the dorsal commences half 

 an inch beyond the tip of the pectoral. There are 23 large, pale 

 brown spots or bars on the lateral line ; dots and lines of the 

 ground colour traverse the spots, and the whole space, from the 

 summit of the back to some way below the lateral line, is marbled 

 by small, round, pale brown spots, which occupy as much space as 

 the ground colour. The specimen in the British Museum has been 

 immersed in spirits many years, and its tints and markings have 

 doubtless become much impaired. The tail is a little shorter than 

 the body. 



Seven nasal teeth are ranged round the terminal border of the 

 rather obtuse snout ; and on its mesial line posteriorly, there is a 

 double row of 6 teeth, set alternately, 3 in eacli row, as in MurcBtia. 

 These are succeeded by a single row of vomerine teeth, which, as 

 well as the nasal teeth, are subulate, acute, and recurved. The 

 palatine teeth are biserial, more slender, all pretty long, and 

 acutely subulate ; the outer row is inclined backwards, and the 

 inner "row, which is rather taller, is curved towards the mesial 

 line, and is preceded by a single row of 4 teeth, by which the row 

 is connected with the mesial nasal row. Mandibular teeth uuise- 

 Tial, curved backwards and inwards. {Richardson.) 



Origin unknown. 



14. Herpetoichthys solcatus, fig. 6. 



{Fif)ur&.) 



Obscure stripes and points extend over the entire skin ; but on 

 the head and throat they are clear and distinct. The pectoral is 

 twice as long as the diameter of the large eyes; and its tip reaches 

 past the commencement of the greatly-developed dorsal. Head bright 

 brown, varied with black ; and black longitudinal stripes exist on 

 the edges and middle of the whitish pectorals. The dorsal, which 

 is also whitish, has likewise a black border; but the anal fin, 

 which has a more yellow tint, has its markings more in the middle. 

 On the back, down to the tail, there are 19 large spots, between 

 which, near to the edge of the back, there is a row of smaller marks. 



