1. BATEACHUS. 169 



c, d. Adiilt and half-grown. East Indies. 



e. Young. Presented by Captain Sir E. Belcher, C.B. 



Bloch distinctly describes and figures his Cottus gntnniens with 

 four spines on the gill-covers ; therefore the species with three spines, 

 to which Valenciennes gives this denomination, cannot bo the same. 



3. Batrachus trispinosus. 



Seba, iii. 28. 4. 



Batrachus grunniens, Cuv. ^ Val xii. p. 466 ; Cant. Ccftal. p. 205 ; 

 (not BL). 



D. 3 I 22. A. 18. V. 1/2. Vert. 12/17. 

 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 three spines 

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

 suboperculum. Vomer and palatine bones with a single series of 

 short conical teeth. Snout broad, dci)ressed, flat, surrounded by a 

 wreath of short tentacles ; tentacles above the orbit verj' distinct. 

 The maxillary extends to below the posterior margin of the orbit. 

 A round foramen in the upper part of the axil. Greenish- or 

 brownish-olive, marbled with darker, the dark spots being dotted 

 and edged with black ; caudal, pectorals and ventrals with blackish 

 spots or narrow vertical bands. 



Seas of Bombay, Singapore, and Pinang. 



a. Adult: skin. Sea of Pinang. From Dr. Cantor's Collection. 

 h. Half- grown. Singapore. 



Air-bladder separated into two lateral divisions, unijted by a narrow 

 transverse channel. 



4. Batrachus dussumieri. 

 Cuv. (§• Val. xii. p. 474. pi. 367. 



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



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

 total. Gill-covers A\-ith three spines directed backwards, two be- 

 longing to the operculum and one to the suboperculum. The lower 

 jaw and the palate with narrow bands of viUiform teeth. Snout 

 broad, depressed, flat, surrounded by a wreath of very short tentacles ; 

 tentacle above the orbit veiy small. Brown, with three rather in- 

 distinct darker cross-bands ; fins immaculate. ( Val.) 



Coast of Malabar. 



Air-bladder similar to that in B. trisjoinosus. 



5. Batrachus duhins. 



White, Vol/. New South Wales, p. 205; Richards. Voij. Ereh. iy Ten: 

 Fishes, p. 16. pi. 10. 



D. 3 1 18. A. 15. V. 1/2. 



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



