8. nOLOCENTRUM. 35 



another and parallel ; the groove for the processes of the inter- 

 maxillary bones goes not very far behind, its length being the 

 same as that of the snout. The turbinal bone tenninatcs in front 

 in an obtuse point, scarcely covering the intermaxillary. The mouth 

 is smaller than in most of the other species, the upper maxillary 

 reaching to below the anterior third of the eye only. The diameter 

 of the eye forms nearly one-third of the length of the head (opercular 

 spine always included). 



All the opercles are striated and denticulated, as the scapular and 

 humeral bones. The praeoperculum has a short spine, rather longer 

 than one-third of the posterior margin of this bone ; the margin is 

 vertical. 



The dorsal spines are moderately thick ; the spinous and soft dorsal 

 fins are equal in height, one-half of the depth of the body. The 

 lobes of the caudal are equal, pointed, and 5f in the total length. 

 The first spine of the anal fin is minute ; the second shorter than the 

 shortest of the dorsal ; the third longest, even longer than the rays, 

 one-fifth of the total length ; the fourth is strong, about the length 

 of the second of the dorsal, and may be entirely' hidden in a groove 

 of the third. The pectorals are rather short, one-sixth of the total 

 length, and reach to the sixteenth scale of the lateral line. The 

 spine of the ventrals is one-third of their own length, rather slender; 

 the length of the longest ray is nearly one-fifth of the total, and 

 the fin reaches to the level of the twenty-second scale of the lateral 

 line. 



The scales are not striated, but fiinely serrated at the posterior 

 margin ; one of the largest not covering even one-fourth of the eye 

 Eed, with violet tinge on the back, and silvery on the belly; 

 lighter bands along each series of scales. The fins are now uniform 

 yello-\vish white ; an indistinct bro^vnish speck is still visible between 

 the first two dorsal spines. 



inches, lines. 



Total length 6 8 



Height of the body 1 9 



Length of the head 1 11 



Interspace between the eyes 5 



Length of the snout 5 



of prffiopercular spine 3 



of fifth dorgal spine 11 



of third dorsal ray 11^ 



of third anal spine 1 4^ 



of fourth anal spine 8 



of first anal ray 1 



of a large scale 2^ 



Height of a large scale 8| 



7. Holocentmm rubmin. 

 Seba, iii. 27. 1. 



Scipena rubra, Forsk. p. 48 (not Bl. Schn.}. 

 Renard, Poiss. t. 29. f. 159 ; Valentyn, InrJ. iii. p. 390. f. 137. 



D 2 



