8. ECHKNEIS. 377 



broad, gradually becoming shorter posteriorly; the body itself is 

 short, stout, and covered with minute scales. 



The pectoral is rounded, scaly ; its length is one-seventh of the 

 total. The ventral is very short, only one-eleventh of the total length, 

 rounded posteriorly, inserted below the root of the pectoral, and 

 composed of one spine and five soft rays. The soft dorsal and anal 

 are opposite to each other, the latter being slightly the longer, and 

 placed very far backwards ; the distance between the soft dorsal and 

 the disk nearly equals the length of the latter. The caudal is sub- 

 truncated, with the angles rounded. 



Although the specimens on which this species and E. albescens 

 have been founded, have a form of the caudal fin which is usually 

 observed in adult specimens of this genus, or in those approaching 

 the matiu'o state, it would appear, from the notes of Dampier, that 

 they grow to a much larger size. The figure quoted has imdoubt- 

 cdly been taken from E. albescens or E. dupeata, as is proved by the 

 form of the disk and the backward position of the soft dorsal and 

 anal tins; but he says {Voyage round the World, i. p. 64) that 

 the " excrescence on the head is about 7 or 8 inches long and 5 or 

 6 broad, and/ising about i an inch high." 



inches, lines. 



Total length 5 6 



Length of the head 1 3 



Width of the body between the pectorals . . 1 1| 



Length of the disk 1 9 



Width of the chsk 1 1 



Diameter of the eye li 



Distance between the disk and the soft dorsal 1 



Length of the pectoral 9 



of the ventral 5| 



2. Echeneis albescens. 



Temm. t^ Scldeg. Faun. Japon. Poiss. p. 272. pi. 120. f. 3. 

 D. 13 I 22. A. 22. 



The length of the disk is 3| in the total, the width of the body 

 between the pectorals 5| . Caudal subtnmcated ; mouth obtuse ; 

 the lower jaw and the vomer anteriorly with a series of widely-set, 

 stronger teeth. The angle of the mouth is situated in the vertical 

 from the third lamina ; the length of the ventral equals the distance 

 between the root of the pectoral and the jjosterior margin of the eye. 

 Uniform greyish-brown. 



Seas of China and Japan. 



«. Six inches long. China. Presented by Sir J. Richardson. 

 3. Echeneis squalipeta. 



DaJdovf in Skrirt. cif Naturhist. Selshnh. ii. p. 157 ; BI. Schn. p. 240. 

 Disk with seventeen laminje, extending nearly to the middle of 



