43. PEIONOTUS. 193 



3. Prionotus punctatus. 



Parra, lam. 38 ; Broivne, Jamaica, pi. 47. 

 Trigla Carolina, Block, tab. 352 ; Bl. Schn. p. 13. 

 — — punctata, Block, tab. 353 ; Bl. Schn. p. 13. 

 Prionotus punctatus, Cuv. Sf Val. iv. p. 93 ; Jenym, Zool. Beagle, Fishes, 

 p. 28 ; Casteln. Anim. noiiv. oit rares Amer. Sud, p. 7. 



D. 10 I 12. A. 11. L. lat. 80. Cac. pylor. 6. Vert. 11/15. 



The length of the head is 3| in the total ; the space between the 

 eyes is narrow and deeply concave, its width being less than that of 

 the eye. The praeorbital does not project beyond the snout. Several 

 small spines between the praeorbital and the prajopercular spine. 

 Pectoral appendages tapering; the pectoral fin reaches to the vertical 

 from the eighth anal ray. The dorsal and candal fins spotted with 

 brown, the fii'st dorsal with a black blotch besides; the pectoral 

 with brownish -black spots, and margiaed with blue. 



Atlantic coasts of Tropical America. 



a. Adult. Brazil. Presented by Lord Stuart. 

 h. Adult : skeleton. Brazil. Presented by Lord Stuart. 

 c-A. Adult and half-grown. Jamaica. From Dr. ParneU's Col- 

 lection. 

 ?*. Half-grown. W. Indies. 



Tc. Half-growTi. Caribbean Sea. Presented by the Zoological So- 

 ciety as Trigla serrafa. 

 I. Adult: stuff'ed. 

 m. Adult: stuffed. 

 n. Half-grown. Patagonia. 

 0. Adult. From the Haslar Collection. 

 p. Half-grown. From the Haslar Collection. 

 q-s. Half-grown : bad state. From the Haslar Collection. 

 t. Half-grown. From the Haslar Collection. 

 t(. Half-grown. From Mr. Stokes's Collection. 



Skeleton. — The maxillary and intermaxillary bones are situated 

 below the prominent edge of the infraorbitals ; the former is very 

 long, reaching backwards nearly as fiir as the mandibulary, and rather 

 slender, with the posterior extremity vei-y broad. The intermax- 

 illary is much shorter, tapering posteriorly, and has the posterior 

 processes very short, — the mouth, therefore, being veiy little pro- 

 tractile. The mandibula is rather low, and exhibits ii-regular ridges 

 on its outer surface. The vomer is broad anteriorly, with the edge 

 elevated, and armed with a narrow strip of teeth, which is inter- 

 rupted in the middle. 



The infraorbital bones cim-asse completely the cheek ; two series 

 may be distinguished : a supeaior, entering into the lower half of 

 the orbit and formed by two rather small bones ; they are separated 

 from the inferior series by a groove, by which the striae of the bones 

 are inten-uptod. The inferior series is formed by three large, flat, 

 striated boucs, the striie of each bone radiating from a centre. The 

 first bone is the praeorbital, subtriangailar, with the centre (from 

 which the striae radiate) situated in the middle of the anterior 



VOL. II. 



