3. ICHTHYOCAMPFS. 177 



Iclithyocampus ponticerianus, Kaup, Lophobr. p. .31 (not svnon. ) ; 

 Bai/, Fish. Malabar, p. 263. 



D. 23-26. Osseous rings 15-16 + 38-40. 



Operculum crossed by a strong straight ridge ; head and ueck 

 above Avith a median and lateral ridge. Snout as long as the post- 

 orbital part of the head. Body compressed, much deeper than 

 broad, with strong ridges. Tail more than twice as long as the 

 trunk. Dorsal fin commencing on the second caucUil ring. 



Bengal ; Assam ; Malabar. 



a. Adult. River Hooghly. From Dr. Bleeker's Collection. 



b-c. These two examples are probably the " pair from Assam, sent 

 by Mr. Walker, and deposited in the Berlin Museum." They, 

 with many others, were leut to Dr. Kaup, but the labels be- 

 came detached during their return. " Berlin '' Museum evi- 

 dently stands for " British '' Museum. 



Dr. Kaup also describes an Iclithyocampus carce (Lophobr. p. 30) ; 

 but this is not the species from the continent of India, having the 

 dorsal fin (D. 20) commencing from the anal ring. It is said to be 

 from Java ; but IBleeker has not recognized it, at present, from this 

 island. 



2. Ichthyocampus belcheri. 

 Ichthyocampus belcheri, Kaup, Lophobr. p. 30. 

 D. 22. Osseous rings 16 + 28. 



Operculum without ridge ; head and neck above with a faint 

 median and lateral ridge. Head and snout very short, the latter as 

 long as the postorbital part of the head. Body scarcely deeper than 

 broad, with obtuse ridges. Tail not quite twice as long as the 

 trunk ; caudal pouch not quite half as long as the tail, lined with a 

 stiff fold, in which the division into rings is preserved. Origin of 

 the dorsal fin on the second caudal ring. Caudal fin very short. 



China. 



a-b. Types of the species, 3| inches long. • Presented by Vice- 

 Admiral Sir E. Belcher. 



3. Ichthyocampus scalaris. 



D. 25. Osseous rings 19 + 39. 



Operculum without ridge. The length of the head is about one- 

 ninth of the total ; snout half as long as the head in adult ex- 

 amples, and as long as the postorbital portion in young. Upper 

 part of the head with scarcely a trace of a ridge along the nuchal 

 shields. Body as deep as broad, with very obtuse ridges. Tail 

 twice as long as the trunk. Dorsal fin standing on seven rings, 

 three of which belong to the body. Caudal fin very short. Body 

 and tail with from 13 to 15 irregular broad brown cross bands, 

 more distinct in young than in adult examples. A narrow brown 



VOL. VIII. N 



