17. PEOSOPODASTS. 141 



head, immediately behind the interorbital space, and are entirely 

 separated from the others ; the fourth and fifth also are somewhat 

 remote from each other, but connected by a membrane. Caudal 

 rounded. The anal spines are flexible, and the third is the longest. 

 The pectoral is of moderate length, and reaches to the vent ; the 

 ventrals are small and short, composed of one pungent spine and 

 three rays. 



The colour is now uniform brown. 



lines. 



Total length 24 



Height of the body 7 



Length of the head 7 



5. Prosopodasys niger. 



Apistus niger, Cuv. (^ Val. iv. p. 415. 



D. 3|L«. A.|. 



No scales ; the skin sparingly provided with minute prickles. The 

 first three dorsal spines contiguous with, but rather remote from, the 

 posterior ones. Jaws equal ; mouth oblique. The pectorals reach 

 to the vent, the ventrals not ; the third anal spine is the longest. 

 Blackish -brown, speckled with black. Palatine teeth. 



Coast of Pondichery ; Sea of Amboyna. 



a. Adult. Amboyna. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



6. Prosopodasys zollingeri. 



Apistus zollingeri, Bleeker, Sclerop. p. 26, and Verh. Bat. Genootsch. 

 xxii. Sclerop, p. 8. 



D. 3 I ^. V. 1/5. 



The first three dorsal spines rather remote from, but contiguous 

 with, the posterior ones. Head acute ; the lower jaw prominent ; 

 the pectoral as long as the head ; the first dorsal spine above the 

 posterior margin of the orbit. {Bl.) 



East Indian Archipelago. 



7. Prosopodasys leucogaster. 



Apistus leucogaster, Richards. Voy. -Samar. Zool. Fishes, pi. 5. f. 1, 2 

 (pectoral too large); Bleeker, Amboina, iii. p. 21. 



B. 6. D. 3|H A.|. 



Scales none ; the first three dorsal spines contiguous with, but 

 rather remote from, the posterior ones. Cleft of the mouth oblique ; 

 the upper maxillary reaches nearly to the vertical from the posterior 

 margin of the eye. Brownish, largely marbled with brown, the 

 spots extending on to the dorsal fin ; abdomen white. 



Seas of China and Amboyna. 



a. Adiilt. China. Presented by Sir J. Richardson. — Type of the 

 species. 



