SYNGNATHIDS FROM CEYLON. ” 38 
(6) Ann. 14-79 plus 40-63; ann. subdors. — 0-53 plus 6-31 ; 
D 26-28, P 14-76, B R 15-06. 
The dorsal fin of var. djarong therefore stands somewhat more 
forward and is shorter than that of var. gastrotenia, which latter 
has more pectoral rays and a larger brood pouch than the former. 
In both varieties the protective plates of the brood organ are very 
small, scarcely developed. Eggs of var. djarong small, in 4 
longitudinal and about 60 transverse series. 
Colouration of var. djarong during life :—Abdomen of male 
purplish-red, of female grayish-green, with blue-black abdominal 
edge. Ventral surface of rostrum and opercles silvery or brass- 
coloured, with blackish spots and stripes more or less irregularly 
arranged. C brown, with lighter dorsal and ventral margins. D 
with dark spots. Some specimens from the Mahaweli-ganga had 
the lip of the rostrum orange-coloured. Ivis brass-coloured. 
In New Guinea andthe Bismarck Archipelago I collected: var. 
gastrotenia at ten, and var. djarong at four localities, but once 
only found the two varieties together at the mouth of a draining 
ditch of a coconut plantation at the seashore ; everywhere else the 
var. gastrotenia preferred the water more saline than the var. 
djarong. 
Hippocampus, L. 
Brood organ of male subcaudal, without protective plates ; its two 
cutaneous folds entirely united, forming a bag-like brood pouch, 
which has a small muscular orifice anteriorly, immediately behind 
the anal ring. Upper lateral edges of trunk and tail discontinuous ; 
lower lateral edges of trunk and tail discontinuous ; middle lateral 
edges of trunk continuous with lower ones of tail. Trunk com- 
pressed, generally deep. Head in an angular position to the 
longitudinal axis of trunk. No scutella ; lateral line present. Scutes 
of body rings with narrow elongated wings and_ shortened 
keel. D, A, and P present, C absent; tail prehensile. Base of D 
elevated. 
Of Hippocampus I have seen only three specimens from Ceylon, 
which seem to belong to two different species. It is impossible, 
however, at the present state of our knowledge to safely distinguish 
between the South Asiatic species of Hippocampus, with the single 
exception of H. kuda, Bleek. Characters traditionally applied, 
such as shape of the corona, of the spines of the body, colour, size 
’ of cutaneous appendages, are useless for the distinction of species ; 
they vary considerably according to age and individuality, as I 
have convinced myself on larger series of the two European forms, 
H. guttatus, Cuv., and H. brevirostris, Cuv. 
E 9(6) 10 
