168 BATllACHID^. 



yr less confluent, and having whitish spots between them. Caudal 

 and pectoral with many round white spots, arranged in transverse 

 scries. 



(/. Fine specimen. New Orleans. Purchased of Mr. Cuming. 

 h. Adult. From the Haslar Collection. 



Air-bladder cardiform, with the notch anteriorly. 



Skeleton. — Valencicnnes's description of the skull of B. surina- 

 mensis agrees very well with that of the present species. The skeleton 

 differs from that of B. (lidmti/liis in the following points : — 



The crown of the head is not much broader than long, and divided 

 into two parts by a very distinct longitudinal crest, rectangular to 

 the transverse ridge of the transvcr.^o mucifcrous channel. The latter 

 is divided into two portions, each ]):)rtiou being continuous with an 

 interorbital channel. The interorbital space is so narrow as to be 

 entirely occupied by the channels and their ridges. There is a pra)- 

 orbital present ; it is narrow, styliform, flexible, situated behind and 

 below the maxillary. The base of tlio craniima is very convex. Five 

 carpal bones distinctlj^ developed. The vertebral column is composed 

 of twelve abdominal and twenty-two caudal vertebra), the length of 

 the former portion being to that of the caudal as 1 : 1-7. AU the 

 vertebrae are very short. 



2. Batrachus grunuiens. 



Knorhaen, Nieuh. Zee- en Lantrt p. 271 cum fig., cop. by Wil- 



lughby, App. pi. 4. fig. 1. 

 Cottus gi'unnicns, var. B., L, 3fus. Ad. Fried, ii. p. 65 ; L. Gm. i. 



p. 1209. 

 Cottus grumiiens, Bhch, taf. 179 ; Lacep. iii. p. 232 ; S/imv, Zool. iv. 



p. 256. 

 Batrachus grunniens, Bl. Schn, p. 48 ; Bleek. Biouio, p. 487. 

 Batrachoides gangene, Buck, Ham. Fish. Gamj. p. o4. pi. 14. fig. 8. 



D. 3 I 20. A. 16-18. V. 1/2. 



The length of the head is contained three times and a half in the 

 total ; the width of the bony bridge between the orbits is five times 

 and a half in the length of the head, and equals the diameter of the 

 eye, which is shorter than the snout. Gill-covers with four spines 

 directed backwards, two belonging to the operculum and two to the 

 suboperculum. Vomer and palatine bones with a single series of 

 short conical teeth. Snout broad, depressed, flat, surrounded by a 

 wreath of short tentacles ; tentacles above the orbit short, sometimes 

 entirely absent. The maxillary extends to below the posterior mar- 

 gin of the orbit. No foramen in the axil. Head, body, and vertical 

 fins broAvn, irregularly marbled with darker ; pectorals brown-dotted, 

 the dots confluent into rather irregular cross-streaks. 



East Indian Seas. 



a. xidult. Amboyna. Purchased of Mr. Stevens. 

 h. Adult. Ganges. Presented by G. 11. Watcrhouse, Esq. — Type 

 of BatracJioides (jayujenr, Uuch. Ham. 



