34 BEEYCIDJE. 



length, and more than four times as long as the last. The pectoral 

 fins reach to the level of the nineteenth scale of the lateral line, the 

 ventrals to that of the twenty-second. 



The scales are not striated, but finely seiTated at the posterior 

 margin ; one of the largest covers one-thii'd of the eye, and is two- 

 thirds as long as high. 



The coloration appears to be red, vnth bands of a lighter tinge 

 along each series of scales. No other markings are visible, except 

 the round whitish spots, forming a series along the middle of the 

 spinous dorsal ; there is another triangular spot behind the tip of each 

 spine. In Ufe the round spots may have been blue, and the trian- 

 gular ones rose-coloured. 



inches, lines. 



Total length 8 2^ 



Height of the body 2 5 



Length of the head 2 5^ 



Interspace between the eyes 5 



Diameter of eye 8 



Prffiopercular spine 5i 



Length of foui-th dorsal spine 9 



of third dorsal ray 1 4^ 



of thu'd anal spine 1 4 



of first anal ray 1 5f 



of a large scale 3 



Height of a large scale 5 



6. Holocentrxim microstoma. (Plate YI. fig. A.) 



D. 11-12 1 13. A. i. L. lat. 47-53. L. transv. 4/7. 



The height of the body is nearly four times in the total length, 

 the length of the head 3| ; the interspace between the eyes is 4|- in 

 the latter. Lower jaw rather prominent ; snout rather pointed, 

 shorter than the diameter of eye ; the upper maxillaiy reaching to 

 below the anterior third of the eye. Operculimi with two prominent 

 spiaes, the upper of which is the longer. Praeopercular spine smaU, 

 not much stronger than that of operculum. The fourth, fifth and 

 sixth dorsal spines longest, one-half of the height of body ; lobes of 

 the caudal equal ; the thii-d anal spine much longer and stronger 

 than the foirrth, one-fifth of the total length ; pectorals shorter than 

 ventrals. Red, with lighter longitudinal bands ; a small brownish 

 speck behind the first doi-sal spine. 



a. Adult. Amboyna. From Mr. Frank's Collection. 



b. Half-grown. Old Collection. 



Description. — The form of the body is rather elongate, the snout 

 of moderate length, four-fifths of the diameter of eye (difierence 

 from H. laticeps). The interspace between the eyes is nearly equally 

 broad behind and in front, but with a slight concavity alDove the 

 middle of the eye. The two bony ridges are distant from one 



