5. rETROSCIKTKS. 233 



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

 total length, the length of the head six times. Snout verj' short, 

 equal in length to the diameter of the eye. A high crescent-shaped 

 crest occupies the head from between the orbits to the origin of 

 the dorsal. The dorsal fin commences above the gill-opening, and 

 gradually increases in height from its origin to the fifth ray before 

 the last ; the height of the twelve anterior spines is rather more than 

 one-half the depth of the body. The ventral fin is nearly equal in 

 length to the head. The spinous portion of the dorsal fin with two 

 brown longitudinal lines, the soft with many oblique ones, ascending 

 backwards. Cheek with a very distinct ovate spot, extending on the 

 nape of the neck ; an indistinct dark vertical band through the eye, 

 and another before the gill-opening. 



lines. 



Total length 33 



Height of the body 6 



Length of the head 5| 



of the ventral fin 5 



a, b. Amoy (China). 



8. Petroscirtes kaUosoma. 

 Bleeker, Biliton, iv. p. 227. 



D. 32. A. 23. 



The height of the body is contijined eight times in the total length 

 (without caudal filaments), the length of the head six times and 

 a half. Snout obtuse, convex ; tentacles none ; the width of the 

 interorbital space is less than the diameter of the eye ; the canine 

 tooth of the lower jaw is much longer than that of the upper. The 

 dorsal fin is not elevated, and begins somewhat before the vertical 

 from the gill-opening ; the outer rays of the caudal produced into 

 filaments. Body with alternate curved violet and white cross-streaks, 

 the convexity pointing forwards ; the posterior portion of the dorsal 

 with brown longitudinal stripes and an oblong blackish-brown spot ; 

 anal brownish, edged with yellow, and with seven or eight oblique 

 blue stripes ; caudal rose-coloured. {Bl.) 



Sea of Biliton. 



9. Petroscirtes elongatus. 

 Peters in Wiegm. Arch. 1855, p. 249. 



D. 32. A. 24. V. 2. 



The height of the body is coutained six times and a half in the 

 total length (without caudal), the length of the head five times and 

 one-third. Snout Avith a veiy convex profile, scarcely as long as the 

 diameter of the eye. The width of the interorbital space is one- 

 third the diameter of the eye. The canine teeth of the lower jaw 

 twice the size of those of the upper. The dorsal fin is not elevated, 

 emarginate, and begins somewhat before the vertical from the root 

 of the pectoral. Caudal emarginate. Greenish : a white-edged 



