7. PERCis. 237 



bones being of ncarlj- equal width, and firmly grown together. The 

 frontal bones are very narrow between the orbits, and have the 

 margin raised above the level of the crown. The crown is rather 

 flat, without ridges or grooves ; the basal portion of the cranium is 

 slightly swollen on each side. 



There are ten abdominal and twenty-five caudal vertebra;, the 

 foi-mer portion of the vertebral column being to that of the caudal as 

 1 : 2-6. The vertebrae are rather short, compressed ; the ribs, neural, 

 haemal, interneural and interha3mal spines are feeble. The five an- 

 terior anal rays are situated below the abdominal ca\-ity, and their 

 interhcemals, therefore, are much inclined backwards, thus acquii-ing 

 a point of attachment at the haemals of the anterior caudal vertebrae ; 

 the interhaemal of the sixth anal ray has the usual vertical direction. 



5. Trachinus cornutus. 

 Gay, Chile, ii. p. 162. 



D. 7 I 25. A. 28. 



Praeopereulum with four strong spines beneath ; on each side, 

 before the eye, a rather long recurved spine. Uniform grey ; fii-st 

 dorsal black-edged. 



Coast of Chile. 



7. PERCIS*. 

 Percis, Bl. Schn. p. 179 ; Ctiv. Regne Anim. ; Cm: ^- Val. iii. p. 259. 



Body cylindrical, elongate ; cleft of the mouth slightly oblique ; 

 eye lateral, directed upwards. Scales small, ctenoid. Dorsals more 

 or less contiguous, the spinous with five (four) spines ; ventrals a 

 little before the pectorals ; the lower pectoral rays branched. ViUi- 

 form teeth in the jaws, with the addition of canines ; teeth on the 

 vomer, none on the palatines. Operculum with two small spines ; 

 praeopereulum entire or slightly denticulated. Six branchiostegals ; 

 pseudobranchiae. Air-bladder none ; pyloric appendages in small 

 number. 



From the Picd Sea to the coasts of x\.ustralia and Polynesia. 



A. TJie middle dorsal spines the longest. 



1. Percis nebulosa. 



? Percis macidata, Bl. Schn. p. 1 79. tab. 38. 



Percis nebulo.sa, Quoy S,- Gaim. Voy. Freyc. Poiss. p. .349: Cm: &■ Val 



iii. p. 260. ' ^ 

 emer\ana, Richards. Ann. Sf 3Iaq. Nat. Hist. 1842, ix. p 130 



Icon. Pise. tab. 1. f. 1, and Ichfh. Chin. p. 211. ' 



D. 5 I 21-22. A. 19-20. L. lat. 85. Ca;c. pylor. 4. 

 Yert. 10/20. 

 The height of the body is 5^ in the total length, the lengtli of 

 » 1. Benard, i. 6. 42 ; Percis ocellata, C. 4' V. iii. p. 270.— East Indies. 



