2. SYNGNATHrS. 171 



Operculum crossed by a straight ridge. Snout and head of mo- 

 derate length, the length of the latter being contained eight times 

 and one-half in the total. Snout not very narrow, its length being 

 less than one-half of that of the head. A low sharp median ri^e 

 along the snout, crown, and nuchal shields ; another on each side 

 of the head. Body deeper than broad, with prominent ridges. 

 Shields without spines. The length of the trunk is rather less than 

 one-half of that of the tail. Lateral line not continued beyond the 

 trunk. Dorsal fin commencing on the anal ring. Pouch half as 

 long as the tail. Caudal fin short. Body with irregular brown 

 cross bars, each of which has a broad whitish edge behind. Dorsal 

 with black dots. 



Zanzibar ; Mossambique ; East-Indian archipelago. 



a. Fine male specimens, 5 inches long. Zanzibar. Presented by 



Lieut. -Col. Playfair. 



b, c-e. Females, 5 inches long. Zanzibar. Presented by Lieut.- 



Col. Playfair. 

 f-h. Females. East Indies. 



East-Indian examples differ very slightly from East-African ; 

 they have the caudal fin a little longer ; but the length of this fin 

 varies also in East-African specimens. ^ 



32. Syngnathus margaritifer. 



Peters, Monatsher. Ak. Wiss, Berlin, 1868, p. 457. 



D. 21-23. Osseous rings 20-1-35-37. 



Operculum crossed by a straight ridge. The length of the snout 

 is somewhat more than one-half of that of the head. A low ridge 

 along the median line of the snout, and of the crown of the head 

 and neck ; supraorbital edge continued into a feeble ridge on the 

 side of the crown. Shields without spines. Tail about twice as 

 long as the trunk. Dorsal fin occupying two body- and four or Jive 

 tail-rings. Pouch extending to or beyond the sixteenth tail-ring. 

 Brown, with mother-of-pearl coloured dots. 



New South Wales. 



a. Male, 5 inches long. Port Jackson. Voyage of the * Herald.' 



33. Syngnathus penicillus. 

 Cantor, Mai. Fish. p. 386. 



D. 22. Osseous rings 17-f-35. 

 Operculum crossed by a straight ridge!. The length of the snout 

 is rather more than one-half of that of the head. A low sharp 

 ridge runs along the median line of the snout, crown of the head, 

 and neck ; supraorbital edge continued into a ridge on the side of 

 the crown of the head. Shields without spines. Tail twice as long 

 as the trunk. Dorsal Jin commencing a little behind the vent. Caudal 

 fin very small. 

 Pinang. 



