15. TETRAROGB. 135 



tcmianotus, with which it has been confounded by'Sir J. llichardson, 

 but may be readily distinguished from it by the shorter pectoral and 

 ventral fins, and by the absence of a black blotch between the fifth 

 and sixth dorsal si^ines. 



The greatest depth of the body is above the root of the ventral 

 fins, where it is contained 3f in the total length ; the length of the 

 head is one-fourth of the same. The upper profile of the snout de- 

 scends in a nearly vertical line, the lower ascends in a very gentle 

 ciu've, the cleft of the mouth being oblique ; the latter is of mode- 

 rate width, and the upper maxillary reaches somewhat beyond the 

 vertical from the anterior margin of the eye. The praeorbital spine 

 is slightly curved, very acute, and of moderate length. The diameter 

 of the eye is nearly equal to the length of the snout, and one-fourth 

 of that of the head. The proeopercular margin is armed with three 

 or four teeth, the uppermost of wdiich is the strongest ; the others 

 are obtuse. Operculum with two spines. The gill-membranes are 

 shghtly continuous under the throat, and not attached to the isthmus 

 between. 



The dorsal fin begins above the anterior margin of the eye, and is 

 continued to the caudal, to which it is slightly attached by a short 

 cutaneous fold. The first spine is about one-third the length of the 

 second, which is the longest, and nearly as long as the head ; the fol- 

 lowing fom" spines decrease in length, the eighth being not quite one- 

 half the second ; the last three spines are, again, a little longer. The 

 membrane between the second, thii'd and fourth spines is very wide, 

 and is dilated into a superior convex flap. The soft portion of the 

 dorsal has the upper margin rounded, and is rather lower than the 

 second spine. The caudal is romided, and composed of twelve i:ays ; 

 its length is 4^ in the total. The anal begins vertically below the 

 last dorsal spine, and is much lower than the opposite fin ; it has 

 three spines, the third of which is much longer than the second, and 

 rather more than one-half the length of the head. The pectoral is 

 rounded, composed of eleven branched rays, and reaches nearly to 

 the vent. The ventral is inserted at some distance posteriorly to the 

 pectoral, and does not reach to the vent ; it has one spine and five 

 rays, the interior of which is attached to the belly by a cutaneous 

 fold for one-half of its length. 



The scales are minute, rudimentary, concave. 



The teeth are villiform, in the jaws, on the vomer, and in a sraoil 

 patch on the palatine bones. 



The ground-colour is brown, with scattered irregular darker spots ; 

 the top of the membrane between the second and fourth dorsal spines 

 is black ; a lighter cross-streak before the first dorsal snine. 



inches. lines. 



Total length 4 4 



Height of the body 1 2 



Length of the head 1 1 



Diameter of the eye 3^ 



Length of the second dorsal spine r» 11 



