234 BLENNIID^. 



oceiiated spot on the operculum ; dorsal and anal fins brown, with 

 white stripes, longitudinal on the former and oblique on the latter. 

 Male with an oceUated spot between the twenty-third and twenty- 

 fifth dorsal rays. 

 Mozambique. 



a. Adult. 



h. Adult. Presented by J. B. Jukes, Esq. 



10. Petroscirtes variabilis. 



Petroscirtes variabilis, Cantof, Catal. Malay. Fishes, p. 200. 

 cynodon, Peters in Wiepn, Arch. 1855, p. 246. 



B. 6. D. 28-31. A. 17-21. Vert. 12/23. 



The height of the body is one-sixth of the total length, the length 

 of the head one-fifth. The snout is somewhat produced, truncated 

 in front. The canine teeth of the lower jaw very large, those of the 

 upper sraaU. Orbital tentacle none. The width of the interorbital 

 space is more than the diameter of the eye, which is contained four 

 times in the length of the head. The dorsal fin is not elevated, 

 commences on a line with the posterior margin of the pra;operculum, 

 and terminates at a short distance from the root of the caudal. The 

 two inner rays of the ventral fin equal in length. Caudal fin some- 

 times with some of the upper and lower rays prolonged. Fi'om the 

 orbit to the caudal a longitudinal blackish band ; dorsal and anal 

 spotted and dotted with black ; caudal fin sometimes with a black 

 central spot ; dorsal fin dark along the base. 



Coast of Mozambique. Sea of Pinang. Port Jackson. 



a, b. Adult : skins. Pinang. From Dr. Cantor's Collection. — Tj-pes 



of the species. 

 c-d. Adult males. Mozambique. From Prof. Peters's Collection, as 



P. cynodon. 

 e. Half-grown. Port Jackson. Purchased of Mr. Cuming. — This 



specimen difters from the others in not having the base of the 



dorsal fin dark -coloured, whilst the upper portion is blackish, 



dotted with w^hite. 



Air-bladder present. 



11. Petroscirtes breviceps. 

 Blennechis breviceps, Cm\ i^ ral xi p. 283. 



D. 30. A. 19. 



The height of the body is contained foiir times and two-thirds in 

 the total length, the length of the head four times and a (piarter. 

 Head broad, with the snout longer than the diameter of the eye. 

 The dorsal fin is not elevated, Itegins above the gill-opening, and 

 extends on to the caudal. A blackish band along the head and body ; 

 dorsal dotted with black ; caudal yellowish. 



Bay of Bengal. 



