(58 SQUAMTPINNES. 



tnmcatcd ; it is t^wice us high as wide, and has no scrratnrc or ridgo 

 ■wliatcver. The siibopercuhim is sword-shaped ; the interopercuhim 

 has the lower margin convex. The pra^orbital, Uke the other infra- 

 orbitals, is very narrow ; it is broadest superiurly, and its anterior 

 margin is serrated. The turbinal bones are small, scale-like bones, 

 Avhieh are in immediate contact with each other. There is another 

 pair of bones, larger than the tiirbinals, difficnlt to be referred to any 

 one of the typical ])ones of the skull of fishes ; they are situated in 

 front of the orbital portion of the principal frontals above the nasal 

 opening, and sepai-ated from each other by the anterior portion of 

 the frontals ; they may be considered as a second pair of turbinals, 

 or as supranasals. The prefrontals form the anterior portion of the 

 orbit, and do not extend on to the upper surface of the skull. 



The upper surface of the skull is broad, smooth, and rather flat, 

 the crown being more depressed than the space between the oi'bits ; 

 the sutures are very indistinct. The occipital crest is feeble, and 

 is scarcely prominent on the iippcr siu'face of the skull : there are 

 two other crests on each side of the crown, with a groove between ; 

 the exterior is the strong(T, and pro\'ided with a muciferous channel ; 

 the interior is feeble, and the suprascapida is fixed to it. The hu- 

 meral is slender and styliform. The coracoid and the radius are thin, 

 and not entirely ossified, and fonn together a broad cavity for the 

 muscles of the pectoral fin ; their junction with the opposite bones 

 is imusually broad and firm. The pubic bones are very narrow and 

 of moderate length ; each is composed of three lamellie, the upper 

 and lower of which are merely indicated. 



There are ten abdominal and fourteen caudal vertehrce, the Ic^ngth 

 of the former portion of the vertebral column being to that of the 

 caudal as 1 : ] -1. The first vertebra is slightly compressed in its lon- 

 gitudinal diameter. The neural, hajmal, &c. spines are rather feeble. 

 There are five or six spurious interneurals, all being much inclined 

 back'vards, and the two anterior (jf which are dilated into transparent 

 lamella) ; the interneurals of the dorsal spines are, of course, the 

 .strongest. The first interha^mal is of moderate strength and length, 

 and it inclines backwards with the upper extremity. The ribs are 

 of moderate strength, and soiuc of the anterior ones are provided 

 with epipleural spines. 



2. Toxotes microlepis. 



D. 3^. A.f^. L. lat. 42. L. transv. (5/14. 



The length of the snout is less than the width of the space between 

 the orbits. Four black blotches along the -ipper part of the side. 

 Siam. 



(i-c. Fine specimens. Siam. Fi-om IMr. Mouhot's Collection. 



Dcficriptlon. — Great as is the similarity between this and the other 

 species, the new one may readily 1)e distinguished by the much 

 smaller scales and the shortness of the snout. Tn the genoriil habit 



