8. PTEROIS. 125 



snout without bands, sometimes spotted. All the rays of the vertical 

 fins spotted with brown ; pectoral fins with two bro^^^l cross-bands 

 at the base. 



Indian Ocean and Archipelago. 



a. Half-grown. Cochinchina. Purchased of M. Parzudaki. 



h. Half-grown : bleached. China. From the Haslar Collection. 



0. Half-grown. Amboyna. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



d. Half-grown. Pearl Islands. 



e. Adult. 



/. Adult : skeleton. Purchased of Mr. Gerrard. 



The skeleton is very much Hke that of Pterois voUtans ; but where- 

 ever there are single spines in that species, there are clusters of small 

 spines in Pt. antennata ; the infraorbital ridge also has two series of 

 small denticulations. The orbital portions of the frontal bones arc 

 very elevated, touching each other at the base and rendering the 

 space between them very concave. The lateral ridges of the crown 

 converge anteriorly, and are strongly serrated. No spine is visible 

 on the lower margin of the praeoperculum. There are nine abdo- 

 minal and fifteen caudal vertebrae, the length of the former portion of 

 the vertebral column being to that of the latter as 1 : 1-7. 



5. Pterois cincta. 



Riippell, N. Wirhelth. Fische, p. 108. tab. 26. f. 3. 

 D. llU. A.|. L. lat. 50. 



I 11 o 



Nape of the neck scaly; the space between the eyes is very concave, 

 and its width much less than the diameter of the eye, which is 1| 

 in the length of the snout. The pectoral reaches to the extremity 

 of the caudal. Head and body with six or seven broad, brown, 

 white-edged cross-bands, the anterior through the eye. Snout uni- 

 coloured. 



Red Sea ; Navigator and Pearl Islands. 



a. Adult. Navigator Islands. Presented by the E,ev. W. Stair. 

 h. Adult. Navigator Islands. Presented by the Rev. W. Stair. 

 c. HaLf-grown. Pearl Islands. 



6. Pterois miles. 



Scorpsena miles, Bennett, Fishes of Ceylon, pi. 9 (faulty). 



Pterois muricata, Cuv. ^ Val. iv. p. 363 j Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 107. 



miles. Cant. Catal. p. 42. 



D. 12 I ^. A. |. Vert. 10/14. 



The spines of the head are very well developed. The space between 

 the eyes is moderately concave, and its width equals the diameter of 

 the eye,. The pectorals do not reach to the caudal, and the uppci 

 four rays only are slightly detached. Many bands across the cheek 



