624 CENTKISCID^. 



4. Centriscus velitaris. 



Centriscus velitaris, Pall. Spicil. Zool. viii. p. 36. pi. 4. fig. 8j Bl. Schn. 

 p. 113. 



sumpit, Lac6p. ii. p. 93. 



Amphisile velitaris, Cuv. Rcgne Anim. 



We extract the following notes from Pallas's description : — 



" D. 2 I 12 (?). A. 25. 



" Pisciculus bipollicaris, plano-compressus, oblongo-lanceolatiis, 

 ventre in aciem compresso, ante pinnes ventrales triquetro-carinato ; 

 totus quasi setnlis recumbentibus et adnatis hispidus. Dorsum an- 

 ticum duriusculum, scuto rhombico ad aculeum dorsalem terminato, 

 et quasi loricato lineoKs obliqiiis, circiter quatemis. Spina in medio 

 dorso recumbens, minus quam aculeus nuchae in Balistis, mobilis ; 

 subulata acutissima, subtus canaliculata, aciebus serrulatis. Sub 

 eaque spina parvula, in fossulam dorsalem reponenda, priori et dorso 

 ad basin membraniila adnexa. Pinna dorsi pone spinae apicem exilis, 

 radiorum circiter duodecim. Pinnae pectorales paiva3 tenerae, radi- 

 orum circiter tredecim ; pinnae ventrales in medio corporis ad imam 

 ventris carinam, fossulae recondendae, tri- vel quadri-radiatae. Pinna 

 ani lata, -vdginti quinque radiorum. Anus proxime ad pinnam, ad 

 secundam tertiam partem longitudinis totius corporis. Aculeus 

 minutus ante anum recumbens. Cauda teretiusciUa ; pinna sub- 

 bifurca, radiorum perfectonim duodecim. Color totius argentatus, 

 in dorso griseo-flavescens. 



pollices. lineiE. 



Longitudo t»ta • 2 5 



rostri usque ad orbitse marginem 6| 



totius capitis 11| 



ad ortum spinae 1 5 



ad pinnas ventrales 1 3 



ad anum 1 6| 



Distantia pinnae dorsalis et ani a pinna caudae 4 



Latitude pinnae ani 5 



summa corporis vertiealis 5| 



" Est He levis armaturae miles, queni Ichthyologico exercitui 

 Amboyna pariter misit." 



We very much doubt whether this fish came from the East Indian 

 Archipelago, as asserted by Pallas ; it has not yet been recog- 

 nized ; it appears to have more affinities towards Centrlsnis than to 

 Amphisile, having the skin covered with prickles, a moveable and 

 serrated dorsal spine on the back, a groove on the belly for the re- 

 ception of the ventral fins, (tc. 



2. AMPHISILE. 



Amphisile, sp., Klein, 3/w.s. Pi.sc. iv. p. 28. 

 Amplii.sile, Chv. Regnc Anlni. 



Body elongate, strongly compressed, provided with a dorsal cuirass 



