20. CHEYSOPHRYS. 493 



twelve for the Bengalese. It is evident from my examination that 

 the number varies iu the latter. It must be considered a rule in 

 those fishes tvith a truly single dorsal fin, composed of a spinous and 

 soft portion, that often one or tivo soft rays, nearest to the spines, are 

 transformed into true S2)ines, the number of the latter thus appearing 

 to be increased. That is the case in this species, where we find 

 specimens with eleven spines and eleven rays, or others with twelve 

 spines and then with ten rays only. This view is very nicely 

 illustrated by a specimen of this (and of other) species in the British 

 Museum Collection, where the second ray of the anal fin is trans- 

 formed into a true spine. A variation of the spines, corresponding 

 to that of the rays, is much less observed in those Acanthopterygii 

 which have the dorsal divided by a more or less deep notch. 



3. Valenciennes says that his Chr. longispinis from Japan and 

 Bengal has a somewhat longer second anal spine than the other 

 (^Chr. herda, Val., from Pondicherry), and Bleeker states nearly the 

 contrary, viz. that the Bengal fish has that spine longer than the 

 Japanese one. There is variation also in this respect: immature 

 and half-grown specimens have that spine generally relatively longer ; 

 but wo find specimens of the same size, from Japan and Bengal, 

 where this spine is equal. 



4. I could not observe a conspicuous difference m the height of 

 the dorsal fin, as stated by Bleeker. 



5. The examination of any of the Sparoids in different ages shows 

 that the molar teeth are subjected not only to a regular reproduction, 

 like the front teeth, but also to a different arrangement. Therefore 

 the number of the series of molars and their shape can be used as a 

 specific character only when founded on the examination of several 

 specimens. If there are several series of molars, the inner series 

 generally contaias the smallest ones and extends more or less back- 

 wards, so that sometimes a specimen appears to have one series more 

 than another. This is the case in the two fishes on which Sir J. 

 Richardson has founded Chr. luripes and xanthopoda, the latter of 

 which had lost moreover one of the canines. Both the specimens 

 are stuffed skins, one-half of which only is preserved. 



15. Chrysophrys calamara. 



Calamara, Ru.ssell, i. pi. 92. 



Chrysophrys calamara, Cuv. ^ Val. vi. p. 117; Bleeker, Verhand. 



Batav. Genootsch. xxiii. Spar. p. 10. 

 berda, Bleek. Topogr. Batai\ and Ichth. Madura. 



B. ij. A.. |. L. lat 35. 



The height of the body is 2|-2| in the <-otal length, the length 

 of the head about foui' times ; the diameter of the eye is one-fourth 

 of the latter and equal to the length of the snout. The molars in 

 four or five series, the largest ones in the outer series. The pra;- 

 orbital is much lower than the orbit. There arc five series of scales 

 between the pra^orbital and the angle of the proeoperculum. Dorsal 



