OXYMETOPON. 153 



distinct family. It is distinguished from the Gobioidsby a consider- 

 ably wider gill-opening, and by the ventral fins, which have only 

 four soft rays. It would be rather hazardous, and of no advantage 

 to science, to found a separate family on it, as nothing whatever is 

 known of its internal structure, and as we have not had an oppor- 

 tunity of seeing the only specimen at present known to exist in 

 Collections. 



OXYMETOPON. 



Bleeker, Timor, vi. p. 12. 



15ody elongate, strongly compressed ; head compressed into a keel 

 superiorly. Canine teeth ; palate smooth ; none of the bones of the 

 head armed. The inferior pharyngeal bones are armed with villiform 

 teeth, not united, but forming a triangle together. Scales ctenoid, 

 lateral line none Two dorsal fins, which are contiguous at the base : 

 the first is short, and composed of flexible spines ; the second is elon- 

 gate, like the anal. Ventral fins inserted behind the base of the 

 pectoral, composed of one spine and foui' soft rays. Branchiostegals 

 five. GiU-opcning \vide. An anal appendage. 



Sea of Timor. 



1. Oxymetopon typus. 

 Bleeker, I. c. p. 13. 



D. 6|Jj. A.^. C. 30. P. 20-21. V. 1/4. L. lat. 105. 



The height of the body is contained seven times and a half in the 

 total length ; its width is one-fourth of its depth. The length of 

 the head is nearly one-tenth of the total (the caudal fin not included). 

 The upper part of the head is compressed into a fleshy, scaly crest ; 

 its upper profile is very convex, concave before the eyes. The dia- 

 meter of the eye is contained thrice and a foiirth in the length of the 

 eye, and is equal to the width of the interorbital space. Snout very 

 short ; cleft of the mouth ery oblique ; maxillaiy extending to 

 below the anterior half of the eye ; lower jaw prominent. The 

 teeth of both jaws stand in several series, the outer of which con- 

 tains larger ones. The upper jaw anteriorly with four canine teeth 

 standing A\dthout the series ; the lower jaw with four canines on and 

 near the symphysis. The scales on the posterior part of the tail are 

 larger than the anterior ones. Caudal fin elongate, pointed, its length 

 being thrice and a third in the total length. Rose-coloured, with 

 two oblique blue streaks on the cheek ; dorsal fins with three or four 

 blue longitudinal lines ; anal fiji violet ; caudal with small bluish 

 ocelli. (Bl.) 



Sea of Timor. 



