334 PRISTIPOMATID^. 



30. Diagramma reticulatum. 



D. _li.. A. J. L. lat. 85. L. transv. 13/25. 



The height of the body is 3| in the total length, the length of the 

 head four times. Caudalis truncated ; the second anal spine is 

 stronger, but scarcely longer than the third. Bi'ownish grey (in a 

 dried state), reticulated with darker waved lines ; three longitudinal 

 bands on the opercles. 



Chinese Seas. 



a. Adult: stuffed. China. Presented by J. R. Reeves, Esq. 



b. Adult : stuffed. China. Purchased of Sir. Warwick. 

 Description. — The greatest depth of the body is above the pectoral 



fins, where it is contained 3| in the total length ; the upper profile 

 descends parabolicaUy from the fifth dorsal spine to the mouth. The 

 cleft of the mouth is horizontal and rather small, the upper maxillary 

 not extending to the anterior margin of the orbit. The snout is 

 much longer than the diameter of the eye, which is one-fouii:h of the 

 length of the head. The lips are thick and fleshy. The scales above 

 extend to between the nostrils, laterally on the posterior portion of 

 the prseorbital. The scales of the cheek are very small, and cover 

 the pra3operculum to its margin. The prasoperculum Ls distinctly 

 and equally serrated, and has the angle and the inferior limb rounded. 

 The operculiun has two obtuse points, with a slight notch between. 

 Suprascapula serrated. 



The dorsal fin begins above the suprascapula, and ends above the 

 middle of the distance between the anal and caudal fins ; the length 

 of its spinous portion is rather more than that of the soft, and the 

 distance from the caudal fin equals that between the first and fifth 

 dorsal spines. The iipper margin is continuous and slightly waved. 

 The spines are of moderate strength, on one side broader. The first 

 spine is three-fifths of the length of the second, the second three- 

 quarters of the third, the third rather shorter than the fourth, fifth 

 and sixth, which are the longest, and about 3^ in the height of the 

 body. The posterior spines gradually decrease in length, the last 

 being about equal to the second. The first ray is longer than the 

 preceding spine ; the following rays become gradually longer to the 

 tenth, which, together with the following tlu'ee or four, fomi the 

 highest portion of the fin, even higher than the longest spine ; the 

 posterior rays decrease again in length, and form a rounded angle of 

 the fin. The spinous portion moves in a scaly sheath, which be- 

 comes deeper and more conspicuous from the seventh spine ; the soft 

 portion is covered with scales for half its height. 



The caudal fin is truncated ; one of its longest rays is one-fifth of 

 the total length. Minute scales extend between the rays to one-half 

 of the length of the fin. The origin of the anal fin falls vertically 

 below the fifth ray of the dorsal, and the end below the fourteenth ; 

 the length of its base is rather more than one-half of its distance 

 from the caudal. The first spine is small ; the second strong, and 

 equal to the longest ray of the dorsal ; the third is rather shorter 

 and much thinner. The first thi'ee rays exceed tlie spines in length. 



