8. HOLOCENTRUM. 47 



extrcmity, and are tapering behind. The vomerine teeth are placed 

 in a small triangular patch, broader than long. The pterygoid bones 

 as well as the palatines are furnished with narrow bands. 



The prceorbital is somewhat widened anteriorly and armed Math a 

 rather strong tooth, the posterior denticulations differing little in 

 size from one another. The turbinal bone is obtuse and scarcely 

 prominent. The posterior nostril has no spinous teeth. 



The opercles are feebly striated and armed ; the denticulations of 

 the suboperculum are even indistinct ; the prseopercular spine is flat, 

 triangular, and one-third only of the length of the posterior margin 

 of the praioperculum. Suprascapula distinctly, coracoid indistinctly 

 serrated. 



The vestibular opening is elongate, but equals in size the posterior 

 opening of the nostril. 



The length of the abdominal part of the vertebral column is li in 

 that of the caudal. The haemal spines are rather stronger than the 

 neural. The length of the strongest interhsemal equals that of the 

 first seven vertebrae. 



23. Holocentnim operculare. 



Cue. (§• Veil. vii. p. 501 ; Bleeker, Banda, i. p. 233 ; Voy. Astrol. Poiss. 

 p. 676. pi. 14. f. 1. 



D-10|i^. A.^-1,. L.lat.38. 



The height of the body is one-fourth of the total length, the 

 length of the head rather more than one-third. The upper max- 

 illary does not reach to the middle of the eye ; operculum with two 

 spines, the upper of which is the longer. The third, fourth, and 

 fifth dorsal spines longest. The lobes of the caudal are equal, and 

 5^ in the total length ; the third anal spine is 5i in the same length. 

 Red : each scale on the head and back with a violet margin ; oper- 

 culum brownish ; the first dorsal black, along the base and the 

 upper edge white ; the other fins rose-coloured. 



Sea of New Ireland ; Banda. 



24. Holocentnim laeve. (Plate VI. fig. B.) 



D. 10 1 1 A. -i. L. lat. 40. L. transv. 4/7. 



Body rather elongate ; the interspace between the eyes is one- 

 fourth of the length of head ; the lower jaw rather prominent, snout 

 not much shorter than the diameter of eye ; opercular spines nearly 

 equal ; sub- and inter-operculum entire, or scarcely denticulated ; 

 dorsal spines slender, the second, third and fourth longest ; caudal 

 lobes equal, pointed ; the third anal spine is 5^ in the total. Red, 

 with lighter longitudinal bands. 



a. Adult : stuffed. Louisiade Archipelago. Voyage of the Rattle- 



snake. 



b. Adult : stuffed. Guadalcanar (Salomon Islands). Voyage of the 



Herald. 



c. Half-grown. Amboyna. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



