68 GOBIID.E, 



fourths in the total length, the length of the head four times and a 

 half. The snout is obtuse, nearly equal in length to the horizontal 

 diameter of the eye ; the interorbital space is flat, scalcless, and its 

 width rather less than the vertical diameter of the eye. Dorsal fins 

 close together, the third and fourth rays of the first dorsal elongate, 

 filiform, as high as the body ; the distance of the first dorsal from 

 the eye is more than that of the snout from the prKoperculum. 

 None of the pectoral rays silk-like ; the ventral has the basal mem- 

 brane moderately developed, and extends to the origin of the anal. 

 Brownish (in spirits), with six brown cross-bands, the posterior of 

 which are lighter in the middle ; side of the head with three series 

 of rose-coloured, brown-edged spots. The first dorsal anteriorly 

 with two oblique violet spots, posteriorly with a rounded blackish 

 spot ; the second dorsal blackish, with a whitish longitudinal band 

 below its margin ; caudal whitish, with blacldsh margin and three 

 round black spots, one near the base on the superior portion, the 

 other near the upper, and the third near the -lower angle. Anal 

 black, with two longitudinal series of light spots ; ventrals blackish ; 

 pectoral colourless. 



East Indian Archipelago ; Vanicolo. 



a. Adult. Amboyna. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



This specimen does not exhibit the bands across the belly, de- 

 scribed by Valenciennes, and very distinct in Oohius sphynx. 



127. Gobius semicinctus. 



Bennett, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1833, i. p. 32. 



D. 6 U. A. "-. L. lat. 55. 



1 15 14 



The lower jaw is provided with a small canine tooth on each side. 

 Eighteen longitudinal series of scales between the second dorsal 

 and the anal fins. Head rather compressed, higher than broad. 

 The height of the body is contained four times and three-fom'ths in 

 the total length, the length of the head five times. The snout is 

 obtuse, scarcely longer than the horizontal diameter of the eye, 

 which equals the width of the interorbital space. Jaws equal in 

 length anteriorly ; the upper maxillary docs not quite extend to 

 below the centre of the orbit. The interorbital space is naked ; the 

 bcales on the neck are much smaller than those on the body. Dorsal 

 fins close together, the second, third and fourth spines are much 

 elongate, filiform, higher than the body ; the distance of the first 

 dorsal from the eye is more than that of the snout from the prse- 

 operculum. None of the pectoral rays silk-like ; the ventral has 

 the basal membrane moderately developed, and extends to the vent. 

 Greenish-olive (in spirits), with some very indistinct darker bands 

 across the back. The lower side yellowish, with six silvery cross- 

 bands, edged with black, as broad as the interspaces of the ground- 

 colour between them, and ascending as far as the middle of the side ; 

 the first is between the roots of the pectoral and ventral fins, the 



