1. SOLENOSTOBJA, 151 



dorsal and anal fins on elevated bases ; caudal fin long. Ventral 

 fins inserted opposite to the anterior dorsal, close together, seven- 

 rayed ; they are free in the male, but in the female their inner side 

 coalesces with the integuments of the body, a large pouch for the 

 reception of the eggs being formed thereby. Air-bladder and pseudo- 

 branchiae absent. Branchiostegals four, very thin. Intestinal tract 

 very simple, with a stomachic dilatation, without pyloric appeudages. 

 Ova very small. 



Indian Ocean and archipelago. 



The dermal skeleton (in S. ci/anopterum) is formed by star-like 

 ossifications, fonr in each horizontal and vertical series on the side of 

 the fore part of the trunk ; each consists of four or three radiating 

 branches, by which it joins the neighbouring bones ; on the hind 

 part of the trunk and tail the series are diminished to two. The 

 dorsal and abdominal profiles in front of the fins are protected by 

 similar bones. The vertebral column is composed of eighteen abdo- 

 minal and fifteen caudal vertebne, the vertebrae gradually decreasing 

 in length backwards, so that the shortness of the tail is caused not 

 only by the smaller number of vertebra;, but also by their miich lesser 

 length. Neural and haemal spines are developed. The pelvis con- 

 sists of two pairs of cartilaginous lamince, the convex margin of the 

 anterior fitting into an angle of a dermal bone which separates the 

 pelvis from the weU-ossified humeral arch. 



There is a pecxiliar provision for the retention of the eggs in the 

 sac, and probably for the attachment of the embryo. The iinier walls 

 of the sac arc lined with long filaments, arranged in series along the 

 ventral rays, and more numerous and longer at the base of the rays 

 than in the middle of their length, behind which they disappear en- 

 tirely. They are also more developed in examples in which eggs are 

 deposited in the sac than in those which have the sac empty. The 

 filaments most developed have a length of half an inch, and are beset 

 with mamiUiform appendages. A slightly undulated canal runs 

 along the interior of the filament. 



1. Solenostoma cyanopternm. 



Solenostomus paradoxus, Richards. Ichth. Chin. p. 203 ; Bleek. Nat. 



Tyds. Ned. hid. iii. p. 308 ; K(tup, Lophohr. p. 2. 

 Solenostoma cyanopterum, Blcek. I. c. vi. p. 506; Giinth. in Fish. 



Zanz. p. 137, pi. 20. figs. 2 & 3. 



D. 5/18. A. lG-18. P. 2G. V. 7. 



The depth of the snout in the middle of its length is two-ninths of 

 its length. Caudal peduncle shorter than the base of the dorsal fin. 

 Brown, minutely dotted with black and whitish ; or pink, with 

 pur]>lish-brown spots. Eirst dorsal fin with two large ovate black 

 oeeUi between the first three rays. 



From Zanzibar to China. 



i(,h,c-e. Adiilt females and a male. Zanzibar. Presented by Lieut. 

 Col. Plavlair. 



