5. CHILODACTYLUS. 83 



b. Adiilt : stuifed. China. Presented by J. R. Reeves, Esq. 



c. Adult : skin. China. Purchased of Mr. Wai'wick. 



d. e. Adult : stuffed. Japan. 



13. Chilodactylus quadricomis. 



D. g. A. |. L. lat. 54. L. transv. 9/17 



Six simple pectoral rays, the second of which is very elongate and 

 extends to the anal fin ; the fourth and fifth dorsal spines very 

 strong, and much higher than the soft dorsal. Four horn-like pro- 

 minences — one pair before the eyes and the other above the snout. 

 Head and body with eight broad, oblique, black cross-bars, five of 

 which extend on the dorsal fin. 



Sea of Japan. 



a. Adult : stuffed. Japan. Purchased of Mr. Frank as Ch. zonatns, 

 var. 



Description of the specimen. — This species is aUied to Ch. zonatus 

 and Ch. gibbosus, from which, however, it may be readily distin- 

 guished by the smaller number of dorsal rays. The height of the body 

 is 3| in the total length, the length of the head 41. The upper profile 

 descends abruptly in a strong curve between the origin of the dorsal 

 fin and the scalcless interspace between the orbits, the nape of the 

 neck being much more compressed than the upper surface of the 

 head. The upper profile of the head descends in a less bent curve : 

 the interspace between the eyes is flat and broad, its width being 

 4| in the length of the head. There is a horn-like process above 

 each upper anterior angle of the orbit. The upper extremity of the 

 maxillary bones also is prominent, forming a second pair of horns 

 above the snout, smaller than those of the frontal bones. The cleft 

 of the mouth is rather small, the upper maxillary not extending to 

 the vertical from the anterior margin of the orbit. The snout is 

 scarcely longer than the diameter of the eye, which is large, and 3^ 

 in the length of the head ; it is situated high up the sides, and the 

 upper margin of the orbit is slightly elevated. The cheeks and the 

 limbs of the praeoperculum are covered with very small scales ; those 

 of the other opercles are rather larger. The posterior limb of the 

 praeoperculum is vertical, the lower horizontal ; the angle is rounded. 



The dorsal fin begins immediately behind the vertical from the 

 suprascapula, and is continued to a small distance from the caudal. 

 The base of the spinous portion of the dorsal is rather longer than 

 that of the soft, and both can be received in a low scaly sheath. 

 The anterior part, from the fourth and fifth spines, is suddenly ele- 

 vated, and then gradually becomes lower to the last spine ; the an- 

 terior part of the soft dorsal, again, is elevated, and then the xipper 

 profile descends in a slightly oblique straight Kne. The nrst three 

 spines are short; the fourth and fifth are very strong, compressed, high, 

 and more than one-half the length of the head. The anterior and 

 longest dorsal rays are two-thirds of the length of the longest spine. 

 The caudal fin is deeply notched ; the upper lobe is the longest. The 



G 2 



