148 PEGASin^. 



2. Pegasus volans. 



Pegasus volans, L. St/st. Nat. i. p. 418. 



laternarius, Cuv. Rl'tjne. An. ; Kaup, LopJiobr. p. 3, tab. 1. fig. 4. 



D. 5. A. 5. P. 10. V. 2. Vert. 7 + 12. 



Vent nearly midway between the anterior margin of the eye and 

 the root of the caudal fin. Tail composed of eleven rings. Back of 

 the trunk with two median ridges, each with three compressed and 

 more or less trenchant longitudinal tubercles ; no groove behind the 

 head. The second, third, and fourth tail-rings have a spine directed 

 backwards in the middle of the side. The fifth pectoral ray strong, 

 spine-like. Snout sometimes short, pointed, with or without minute 

 spines, sometimes prolonged into a five- or six-ridged process, each 

 ridge being finely denticulated. Most of the specimens show two 

 broad browTiish bands across the tail, the posterior being at some 

 distance from the root of the tail. Pectoral rays with brown spots. 



China. 



a. A great number of dried adult and half-grown specimens, partly 

 from Chinese insect-boxes. 



3. Pegasus natans. 



Pegasus natans, L. Si/st. Kat. i. p. 418; Bl. Aiisl. Fiscli. i. p. 53, 

 taf. 121. figs. 2 & 3 ; Richards. Voij. Sulph. Fish. p. 118, pi. 50. 

 figs. 5-7. 



Cataphractus, sp., Gronov. Zoophyl. no. 357, tab. 11. figs. 2 & 3. 



Pegasus spatula, Lacep. ii. p. 85. 



volans, JRicharch. Vo;/. Sidph. Fish. pi. 50. figs. 8-10. 



pristis, Bkek. Nat. Tyds. Ned. Iitd. iii. p. 606; or Verh. Bat. 



Gen. XXV. Trosk. p. 28. 



Cataphractus anceps, Gronov. Sijd. ed. Gray, p. 144. 



D. 5. A. 5. P. 11. y. 3. Vert. 7-1-14, 



Tail (without caudal fin) as long as, or longer than, the body to 

 the end of the snout. Tail composed of twelve rings, tapering and 

 very much flattened behind. Ridges on the upper side of the body 

 obtuse, without tubercles ; shields uniformly finely granulated. 

 Pectoral rays equally slender. Snout prolonged into a long flat 

 sword-like process, truncated in front, and denticulated on the side, 

 the teeth directed backwards. Tail with broad brown cross bands, 

 one below the dorsal being the most constant. Dorsal and pectoral 

 fins with brown dots. 



Seas of China and Australia. 



Var. a. Snout as long as the distance between the eye and vent. 

 Back of the body dotted -with black. 



a. Adult. North China. Purchased of Mr. Jamrach. 



h. Adult. China Seas. Presented by Sir J. Eichardson *. 



* It may be remarked that all these examples were in the British-Museum 

 collection at the time wlien tlie ' Catalogue of Lophobranchiate Fish ' was pre- 

 pared. See Kaup, in Wiegm. Arch. ]8()1, p. 116. 



