311 



I'Ki.srri'oM \ iiii.i:. 



lower ])i'()Hlc usrciitls more siiddonly UiiUi llie iippti descends. Tlu; 

 Iciifrlli of the lieiid is Hi in tfic total, witliout caudal Hn, or oiu'-iilth 

 of tii(> same length, that fin included. The .->uout is shorter than the 

 diani(;ter of the eye, the upper maxillary extending to tlic anterior 

 margin of the orbit. The groove for the pioecsises of the intermaxillary 

 houcs i.s .>hort, quadrangular, with a posstejior and anterioi- angle 

 and two latei'al ojies ; it does not extend lje}-ond the vertical from the 

 anterior margin (jf the eye, and is entirely scaleless, as is the intcr- 

 s[)ace between this groo\e and the orbit. The iijjper surface of the 

 head is covered with large scales, to between the anterior part of 

 the distance between the eyes. The nostrils are placed high up the 

 Sides, neai-er the eye than the end of the snout ; they arc rather 

 prominent, with the posteiior opening wider. The pneorbital is 

 entirely scaleless: anteriorly broad, it is narrowest between the 

 maxillary and the orbit. The scales of the clieeks aic rather smaller 

 than those of the body, and extend on the mandil)ula, there forming 

 a narrow stripe immediately behind the maxillary. The pra:!operculum 

 has a vertical posterior margin ; the angle and the inferior limb are 

 rounded, without any denticulations ; the scales of the cheeks do not 

 extend over its limbs. The 0])ei-culum is irregularly quadrangular ; its 

 post(;i'ior side is cnuirginate ; the inferior straight, slightly ascending 

 backwards. The sub- and interoperculum are, like the operculum, 

 covered witu dc(;iduous scales ; their inft'Hor maigins are convex. 



The (lor.idl iin is not very deei)ly notched ; the length of the base 

 of the spinous portion is .shoile'r than of the soft, and its distance 

 from- the caudal is one-fh'lh only of that from the end of the snout; 

 its oi-igin is above the base of the pectoral, and its end a little before 

 the vertical fj-om the end of the anal fin. The .'^i^mes are slender, 

 and the anterior ones flexible: the first is minute; the second and 

 third arc the highest, and 2^ in the depth of the body ; the fourth, 

 fifth and sixth decrease in length, the last four being nearly equal, 

 and one-half of the third. The first ray is higher than the preceding 

 spine, the other rays not dirt'eiing vc^ry much from it in height, and 

 forming together a slightly convex margin, with the membrane 

 l)etwcen deeply notched. Theic are eleven soft rays in one specimen, 

 in thv- other ten. The caudal fin is deeply forked, the middle 

 and shortest ray i)eing Hi in the length of one of the outer and 

 longest rays ; the u])per lol)e is scarcely longer than the lower, and 

 one-fourth of the total length ; small, thin, and deciduous scales 

 extend over the basal thiid of each lo]>e. The origin of the anal fin 

 falls below the .sixth d.nsal ray, and its end a little l)ehind that of 

 the dorsal ; the length of its base is more than its distance from 

 the caudal, and equals five-eighths of the length of the head; it 

 moves, like the dorsal, in a scaly sheath. The anterior spine is 

 minute ; tlu^ second stronger than the stoutest of the dorsal ; the 

 thii'd is m(»re slender, but longer than the second, aiid about one- 

 fonrth of the height of the l)ody. The fiist ray is rathe)- longer than 

 tlic preceding spine, and the following rays diminish in length, so as 

 1o form a (nncavc margin oi ilic Iin. 



The )><rff,ral tin is ch.ng'ilc. liic middle r;i\s being th(> longest . it 



