140 



TBIGLTD.^. 



2. Prosopodasys dracaena. 



Apistus dracrena, Cue. Sj- Val. iv. p. 403. 



B. 7. D. 3 1 1. A. 4. 



' 8 



Scales minute, rudimentary. The first three dorsal spines isolated 

 by a deep notch from the others, and forming a separate fin. Prae- 

 orbital and praeopercular spines very large. Greyish-brown: fins 

 spotted ; a black blotch between the sixth and ninth dorsal S})ines. 

 {Cm.) 



Coast of Malabar. 



3. Prosopodasys depressifrons. 



Apistus depressifrons, Richards. Zool. Samar. Fishes, p. 1. pi. 3. f. 1, 2. 

 binotopterus, Bleek. Sclerop. p. 26. 



D.3|f A.|. 



Scales minute, rudimentary. The first three dorsal spines entirely 

 separated from the others ; the pectoral reaches slightly beyond the 

 origin of the anal ; the third anal spine is the longest. Interocular 

 space much narrower than the eye ; the pra^orbital and praeopercular 

 spines rather small. 



Richardson states the Sea of Japan as the habitat of this species, 

 whilst the typical species is marked as coming from Java. 



a. Adult. Java. — Type of the species. 



4. Prosopodasys asperrimus. 

 D.3|^. A.|. V.l 



Head and body covered with small prickles ; spines of the head 

 very prominent : prgeorbital with two, suborbital with one, proeoper- 

 culum with five spines. The first three dorsal spines entirely sepa- 

 rated from the posterior ones, irouth subvertical. The ]*cctorals 

 reach to the vent ; the ventrals small. Uniform brown (in a pre- 

 served state). Palatine teeth none. 



East Indies. 



a. From Captain Sir E. Belcher's Collection. 



Description of the apedmen. — The height of the body equals the 

 length of the head, and is 3| in the total. The snout is truncated, 

 %vith the cleft of the mouth nearly vertical. The upper surface of 

 the head is very uneven, and covered with tubercles ; tlie space be- 

 tween the eyes narrow, its width being much loss than that of the 

 orbit. The pra^orbital is armed Avith a pair of strong spines, point- 

 ing downwards; the infraorbital also has a spine, smaller than 

 those of the prscorbital, and chrcctcd downwards ; the pra^opercidum 

 has five spines, the intcropcrculum one, the operculum none. The 

 lower posterior angle of the mandibula is veiy prominent. The three 

 anterior dorsal spines are situated in the middle of the QTO\m of the 



