148 PEGASIDTE. 



2. Pegasus volans. 



Pegasus volans, L. Si/st. Nat. \. p. 418. 



latemarius, Cuv. IU>gne. An. ; Kmq), Lophobr. p. 3, tab. 1. fig. 4. 



D. 5. A. 5. P. 10. V. 2. Vert. 7 + 12. 



Vent nearly midway between the anterior margin of the eye and 

 the root of the caudal fin. Tail composed of eleven rings, liack of 

 the trunk with two mediaa ridges, each with three compressed and 

 more or less trenchant longitudinal tubercles ; no groove behind the 

 head. The second, tliird, and fourth tail-rings have a spine directed 

 backwards in the middle of the side. The fifth pectoral ray strong, 

 spine-like. Snout sometimes short, pointed, with or without minute 

 sjiines, sometimes prolonged into a five- or six-ridged process, each 

 ridge being finely denticulated. Most of the specimens show two 

 broad broAvnish bands across the tail, the» posterior being at oome 

 distance from the root of the tail. Pectoral rays with brown spots. 



China. 



a. A great number of dried adult and half-grown specimens, partly 

 from Chinese insect-boxes. 



3. Pegasus natans. 



Pegasus natans, L. Syst. Nnt. i. p. 418 ; Bl. Ausl. Fisch. i. p. 53, 

 taf. 121. figs. 2 & 3 ; Richards. Voy. Sulpk. Fish. p. 118, pi. 50. 

 figs. 5-7. 



Cataphractiis, sp., Gronov. Zoophyl. no. 357, tab. 11. figs. 2 & 3. 



Pegasus spatula, Laccp. ii. p. 85. 



volans, liichards. Voi/. Siilph. Fish. pi. 50. figs. 8-10. 



pristis, Block. Nat Tyds. Ned. Ind. iii. p. 600 ; or Verh. Bat. 



Gen. XXV. Trosk. p. 28. 



Cataphractus anceps, Gronov. Syst. ed. Gray, p. 144. 



D. 5. A. 5. P. 11. V. 3. Vert. 7-|-14. 



Tail (without caudal fin) as long as, or longer than, the body to 

 the end of the snout. Tail composed of twelve rings, tapering and 

 very much flattened behind. liidges on the upper side of the body 

 obtuse, without tubercles ; shields uniformly finely granulated. 

 Pectoral rays equally slender. Snout prolonged into a long flat 

 sword-like process, truncated in front, and denticulated on the side, 

 the teeth directed backwards. Tail wnth broad brown cross bands, 

 one below the dorsal being the most constant. Dorsal and pectoral 

 fins with brown dots. 



Seas of China and Australia. 



Var. a. Snout as long as the distance between the eye and vent. 

 Back of the body dotted wdth black. 

 a. Adult. North China. Purchased of Mr. Jamrach. 

 /). Adult. China Seas. Presented by Sir J. Richardson * 



* It maj' be remarked that all these examples were in the Britisli-Museum 

 coUcctifin at the time when the ' Catalogue of Lophobranchiate Fieii' was pre- 

 pared. See Kaup, in Wiegm. Arch. 18G1, p. IIG. 



