1. PSYCDROLUTES. 517 



the extremity of the snout, and provided with a very short tentacle. 

 The eye is immediately below the upper profile ; its diameter is about 

 one-seventh of the length of the head, one-half of that of the snout, 

 and nearly one-half of the Avidth of the interorbital space. The 

 infraorbital emits a slender process across the cheek, which, however, 

 does not reach to the praeopercular margin. None of the opercles 

 are armed : the operculimi alone is produced into a flexible, short pos- 

 terior process ; the gill-opening commences above that process, and 

 is not continuous with that of the other side, the giU-membrane 

 being attached to the isthmus. The branchiostegals are exceedingly 

 slender, seven in number. 



The body is subcyHndrical anteriorly and compressed posteriorly ; 

 its greatest depth, behind the head, is one-fifth of the total length ; 

 the skin is perfectly smooth and rather loose. Tlie pectoral is 

 pointed, the upper rays being the longest and extending nearly to 

 the dorsal ; the ventrals rather short, close together, situated below 

 the middle of the base of the pectoral, and composed of two rays, the 

 inner of which is bifid. Dorsal and anal fins opposite each other, 

 sitiiated far backwards on the tail, terminating at some distance 

 from the caiidal, and nearly entirely enveloped in skin. Caudal 

 slightly rounded, of moderate length. The vent is situated about 

 midway between the root of the ventral and the origin of the anal. 



The upper parts are brownish-grey, minutely dotted with black, 

 and with two veiy large deep-brown blotches of irregular size. The 

 caudal and pectoral fins are dotted and spotted with black. 



lines. 



Total length 21 



Length of the head 6 



Height of the body 4 



