13. BOLEOPHTHALMUS. 103 



Apocryptes pectinirostris, Cuv. S,- Val. xii. p. 150. 



Boleophthalmiis pectinirostris, Richards. Ichth. Chin. p. 208 ; Cant. 



Catal. p. 193. 

 boddaertii, Richards. I, c. ; Faun. Japon. Poiss. p. 148. pi. 76. fig. 3. 



I>.5|^. A.f3. Vert. 11/14. 



Scales anteriorly exceedingly small, becoming somewhat larger 

 posteriorly ; seventeen longitudinal series of scales between the pos- 

 terior parts of the second dorsal fin and of the anal. Head and back 

 finely tubercular. Tail, below the second dorsal fin, with thi-ee 

 more or less inchstinct brown cross-bands, descending obliquely for- 

 wards, and forming two dark spots on the base of the second dorsal ; 

 a band of brown spots along the side of the head. The first dorsal 

 densely dotted with bluish, the second with four to six longitudinal 

 series of oblong spots ; caudal with ovate whitish spots between the 

 rays. 



Coasts of Pinang, China, and Japan. 



a. Adult : skin. Pinang. From Dr. Cantor's Collection. 



b. Adult : bad state. Molucca Sea. Purchased of Mr, Frank. 



c. Adult. China. Presented by J. R. Eeeves, Esq. 



d. Adult. Amoy. Purchased. 



e. Adult. From the Collection of the Zoological Society. 

 /. Adult. From the Haslar Collection. 



g. Adult : skeleton. Ningpo. Purchased of Mr. Cuming. 



Skeleton. — The skull resembles in its general appearance that of 

 Periophthalmus, the bony bridge between the orbits being likewise 

 compressed into a very narrow lamella which is elevated above the 

 level of the crown. The crown is flat, with a low longitudinal crest 

 along the middle, and slightly ascending towards the orbital margin. 

 The maxillary bone is styHform and straight; the intermaxillary 

 extends as far backwards as the maxillary, and has the posterior 

 process very short. The mandible is flattened, with the dentigerous 

 edge turned taitwarSs. The head of the vomer has a slight promi- 

 nence on each side, and a notch between ; its posterior portion is 

 exceedingly narrow. There is a wide opening in the tympanic 

 cavity, between the two portions of which the tympanic is composed. 

 The praeoperculum has a short horizontal limb, below which is situ- 

 ated a very small interoperculum. The suboperculum is very large 

 and thin, like the marginal portion of the operculum. None of the 

 branchiostegals are dilated. The base of the brain-capsule is broad 

 and flat. 



The carpus is rather elongate, but less than in Periophthalmus. 

 The pubic bones are small, triangular, concave ; a broad cartUage, 

 larger than the pubic bones, serves for their connexion \vdth the hu- 

 meral arch. 



There are eleven abdominal and fourteen caudal vertebrae, the 

 length of the former division of the vertebral column being to that 

 of the caudal as 1 : 1"15. Ribs, neural, haemal, interneural and in- 

 terhaemal spines feeble. 



