40. PLATTCErHALXJS. 181 



its length. The width between the eyes is about one-thiri of the 

 length of the snout. Orbit without filament ; nostril with a cirrus, 

 much shorter than the eye. The upper pra?opercular spine more than 

 twice as long as the lower. Spines on the crown of the head and 

 on the orbit ; a pair of turbinal spines ; operculum with two ridges, 

 not serrated. Lateral line smooth. Rose-coloured, marbled with 

 brownish and dotted with black ; dorsal spines and rays spotted 

 with brown, the first dorsal with an oblique black band ; pectoral, 

 ventral, and caudal fins with bro^vniish spots, arranged in transverse 

 bands ; the lower half of the anal whitish. (Bl.) 

 Seas of Temate and Amboyna. 



8. Platycephalus malabaricus. 



Platycephalus malabaricus, Cuv. ^ Val. iv. p. 245, 



carbunculus, Cuv. 8f Val. ix. p. 4G1 ; Cunt. Catal. p. 39. 



D. 1 1 8 I 12. A. 12. L. lat. 75. 



The length of the head is 3^ in the total, and its width between 

 the prseopercular spines 1^ in its length ; the distance between the 

 eyes is one-fourth of the length of the snout, and concave. The 

 superciliary ridge, a ridge between the praeorbital and the angle 

 of the praeoperculum, and a third between the orbit and the scapula 

 are armed with small spines directed backwards. Two prajopercular 

 spines, the upper of which is long, the lower short. Mo tentacle 

 above the orbit. The length of the third dorsal spine is less than 

 one-half of that of the head. Lateral line smooth. Body and fins 

 uniform brownish-grey, or irregularly spotted with brown. 



East Indian Seas. 



a. Half-grown, Moluccas. Purchased of Mr, Frank. 

 h, c. Half-grown : skins, Malayan Peninsula, From Dr, Cantor's 

 Collection, — Types of PI. carbunculus. 



9. Platycephalus japonicus. 



Tiles, in KrUsenst. JReise, tab. 59. f. 1 ; Cuv. Sf Val. iv. p. 256 ; Faun, 

 Japon. Poiss. p. 40. pi. 16. f. 3 ; Bleeker, Verhand. Batav. Genootsch. 

 XXV. p. 28. 



D. 1 I 7 I 12, A, 12, L. lat. ca. 100. Vert. 12/15. 



The length of the head is 3^ in the total, and its Nvidth between 

 the prseopercular spines If in its length ; the distance between the 

 eyes is one-fifth of the length of the snout, and concave. A series 

 of spines along the superciliary margin, a second from the eye to 

 the scapular and a third, of two spines, on the infraorbit ring ; 

 there are a pair of turbinal and a pair of occipital spines besides. 1 wo 

 pr8eope]'<5ular spines, of rather small size, the upper being consider- 

 ably larger than the lower. The length of the third dorsal spine is 

 2j in that of the head. Lateral line smooth. A tongue-shaped 

 nembranaceous flap below the pra^opcrcular spines. Reddish -olive. 



