40. rLATTCEPnALTTS. 181 



its length. The width between the eyes is about one-third of the 

 length of the snont. Orbit without filament ; nostril with a cirrus, 

 much shorter than the eye. The upper prseopercular spine more than 

 twice as long as the lower. Spines on the crown of the head and 

 on the orbit ; a pair of tiu'binal spines ; operculum with two ridges, 

 not serrated. Lateral line smooth. Rose-coloured, marbled with 

 brownish and dotted with black; dorsal spines and rays spotted 

 with brown, the first dorsal with an oblique black band ; pectoral, 

 ventral, and caudal fins with brownish spots, arranged in transverse 

 bands ; the lower half of the anal whitish. {Bl.) 

 Seas of Temate and Amboyna. 



8. Platycephalus malabaricus. 



Platycephalus malabaricus, Cuv. 8f Vol. iv. p. 245. 



carbunculus, Cuv. fy Val. ix. p. 461 ; Cant. Catal. p. 39. 



D. 1 I 8 I 12. A. 12. L. lat. 75. 



The length of the head is 3^ in the total, and its width between 

 the praeopercular spines 1|- in its length ; the distance between the 

 eyes is one-fourth of the length of the snout, and concave. The 

 superciliary ridge, a ridge between the praeorbital and the angle 

 of the prsBoperculum, and a third between the orbit and the scapiila 

 are armed with small spines directed backwards. Two praeopercular 

 spines, the upper of which is long, the lower short. No tentacle 

 above the orbit. The length of the third dorsal spine is less than 

 one-half of that of the head. Latei-al line smooth. Body and fins 

 uniform brownish-grey, or irregularly spotted with brown. 



East Indian Seas. 



a. Half-grown. Moluccas. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 

 6, c. Half-grown : skins. Malayan Peninsula. From Dr. Cantor's 

 Collection. — Types of PI. carbunculus. 



9. Platycephalus japonicus. 



Tiles, in Krusenst. Reise, tab. 59. f. 1 ; Cuv. 8f Val. iv. p. 256 ; Faun. 

 Japon. Poiss. p. 40. pi. 16. f. .'3 ; Bleeker, Verhaml. Batav. Genootsch. 

 XXV. p. 28. 



D. 1 I 7 1 12. A. 12. L. lat. ca. 100. Vert. 12/15. 



The length of the head is 3i in the total, and its 'n^dth between 

 the praeopercular spines lA in its length ; the distance between the 

 eyes is one-fifth of the length of the snout, and concave. A series 

 of spines along the supercHiaiy margin, a second from the eye to 

 the scapular, and a third, of two spines, on the infraorbital ring; 

 there are a pair of turbinal and a pair of occipital spines besides. Two 

 praeopercular spines, of rather smaU size, the upper being consider- 

 ably larger than the lower. The length of the third dorsal spine is 

 2^ in that of the head. Lateral line smooth. A tongue-shaped 

 membranaceous flap below the praeopercular spines. Ecddish-olivo, 



