35G ACRONUEIDiE. 



The doubts raised by Dr. v. Bleeker against the validity of this genus 

 appear to be very just ; we prefer, however, to admit it into the 

 system, until further evidence is gained from a re-examination of 

 the typical specimen, as well as from its comparison with the spe- 

 cies discovered by Dr. v. Blocker. If the bony laminae on the tail 

 were absent in adult indi\'iduals, if the ventral fin had five soft rays, 

 as Valenciennes says, and if the system of coloration were similar to 

 that of Acronurus, the genus would really be different from Nnseas ; 

 but none of these characters have been confirmed by the Dutch 

 ichthyologist. 



1. Keris anginosus. 



? Keris anginosus, Cuv. S^ Vol. x. p. 304. pi. 295. 

 Priodon anginosus, Bleek. Amhoina, v. p. 492. 



The height of the body is somewhat more than one-half of the 

 total length. The anterior profile of the snout rather concave. Teeth 

 minutely denticulated, about eleven on each side. Abdomen very 

 prominent ; root of the ventrals anterior to that of the pectorals. 

 TaU without laminae. Orange-coloured : lips brown ; a brown band 

 from the neck through the eye ; body with brownish spots arranged 

 in six or seven transverse bands ; dorsal and anal fins with two or 

 three series of brownish spots. 



Amboyna. Ceram. Kokos Islands. Celebes. 



The diagnosis is taken from Blocker's description. It does not 

 appear to be fully proved that the specimens which served for 

 Valenciennes and Bleeker's descriptions are specifically identical. 

 These scruples are increased by a comparison of the figure and de- 

 scription given by the French naturalist, as they do not agree with 

 each other. When we considt the figure, it would appear as if the 

 fish in the Paris Collection were similar to the species of Acronurus, 

 having the broad sUvery band across the thorax, and the skin trans- 

 versely striated ; yet Valenciennes describes the skin as " covxverte 

 de petites granulations carrees, oblongues, fines, et placees comme de 

 la mosaique." 



2. Keris amboinensis. 



Bleeker, Amhoina ^ Ceram, p. 272. 



B.4. D.|. A. A V.1/3. 



The height of the body is one-half or rather less than one-half of 

 the total length. Teeth very small, conical. Abdomen very pro- 

 minent ; root of the ventrals situated before the pectorals. Brown : 

 the spinous portion of the dorsal fin brown, the soft and the anal 

 with three or four longitudinal series of smaU blackish-brown spots ; 

 caudal fin yellow, brown at the base. 



East Indian Archipelago. 



a. Forty-two lines long. Amboyna. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



This is probably the young of a species of Naseus, closely allied to, 

 or perhaps identical with, N. annuJatus. 



