1*.><)7.1 XATlKAh SCIENCES OF I'll I l,A DKM'll I A. -^35 



portion iiitlun- nan-owiy exposed, and rcacliiii.u' a tiiflc beyond front 

 margin of eye. Teeth in jaws strong, imisorial, conic, and with 4 

 canines in front of each jaw sHghtly directed forwards. Of upper 

 canines all are of al)out uniform size, though of lower 2 median are a 

 little smaller than outer. Tips thin and little fleshy. Nostrils close 

 together near upper front margin of eye, and anterior a trifle larger. 

 Interorbital space moderately broad, depressed and but slightly ele- 

 vated convexly. Preorbital moderately broad, its least width about 2 

 in horizontal diameter of eye. Posterior margin of preopercle nearly 

 straight and very slightly inclined forward, its edge very finely ser- 

 rated . 



Gill-opening extending forward abo\it oi)posite middle of eye. 



Scales large, cycloid, broadly exposed, and Ijecoming smalUn- 

 towards edges of body, on head and bases of fins. On costal region 

 and middle of side of tnmk scales largest. Of head muzzle and inter- 

 orbital space naked. I'reorbital and infraorbital with a number of 

 short flutings of tubes radiating from lower margin of eye. Scales on 

 opercle a little larger than elsewhere on head, and those on cheek in 9 

 series. Along bases of vertical fins scales rather large, and but slightly 

 reduced on base of caudal. Lateral line continuous, rather high, con- 

 ciu-rent with dorsal profile, then dropping down on side of caudal 

 peduncle till about midway in depth of latter, and continued well out on 

 base of latter. Tubes slender or rather attenuated, persisting to 

 posterior edge of scale, and usually simple or only very slightly rami- 

 fied or arborescent. 



Origin of spinous dorsal nearer origin of rayed dorsal than tip of 

 snout, or a little behind that of pectoral, and anterior spines graduated 

 up till about midway in length of fin, after which they are more or less 

 subequal with last longest. Margin of spinous dorsal deeply notched 

 between tip of each spine, and membrane forming a slight cutaneous 

 flap projecting slightly after though close behind tip of each. Hayed 

 dorsal much shorter than spinous, insertion of fin about midway 

 between origin of spinous fin and base of caudal, radii all more or less 

 subequally high, except last iew which are shorter, and posterior edge 

 of fin rounded. Anal spines graduated up from first which is shortest, 

 origin of fin a little before that of soft dorsal, and margin notched with 

 slight flaps like those of spinous dorsal. Rayed anal similar to rayed 

 dorsal, and inserted very slightly anterior to origin of latter. Caudal 

 (damaged) apparently truncate, with corners pointed? Pectoral 

 (damaged) apparently romided, with upper rays longest. Origin of 

 ventral about opposite that of pectoral, with spine about ^ in length of 



