134 "endeavour" SCIENTIFIC results. 



The first dorsal originates between the hinder margins of the 

 opercles ; its spines are very weak, and the second is the longest. 

 The rays of the second dorsal are bifid ; in one specimen they 

 increase slightly in length backwards, and in the other they 

 decrease. The anal is similar but lower, and commences well 

 in advance of and terminates behind the second dorsal. The 

 upper pectoral rays are very long but the lower ones decrease 

 rapidly in length. The second free ray is the longest and reaches 

 back to the base of the first anal ray ; all are connected at their 

 bases by membrane. The ventrals reach backward to the vent. 

 and the caudal is subtruncate in one specimen, and has the 

 middle rays produced in the other. 



Colour. — Apparently pink or yellow in life, with some very 

 indefinite darker spots and lines ; the back is crossed by six 

 indistinct darker bands, of which the first is below the spinous 

 dorsal, and the last on the base of the tail. The first dorsal is 

 blackish with sevei-al darker wavy cross lines, and the pectorals 

 have some irregular rows of dusky spots. Some very indefinite 

 spots can also be traced on the second doi'sal and the caudal. 

 Described from two specimens, 150-197 mm. long. 



This species is very similar to H. langsdorfii, as figured by 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes 1 , but according to those authors and 

 also to Regan 2 , the lateral plates are armed with two large 

 subequal spines whereas they have only one each in my specimens. 

 From II. regain', Jordan, which was described and figured by 

 Jordan and Richardson 3 as H . langsdorfii, mine differ in both 

 the form and armature of the head, the size of the eye, and the 

 lengths and colour-marking of the dorsal and anal lays. Through 

 the kindness of Dr. Barton W. Evermann, I am able to compare 

 this species with a co-type of H. Gitrinus, Gilbert 4, from which 

 it differs in having a much smaller eye, and strong upstanding 

 spines on the upper surface of the head ; the interorbital width 

 is also broader and the lateral scutes rougher. The same 

 characters also distinguish it from H. acanthopleurus, Regan 2 . 

 H. platophrys, Gilbert 5 aud H. gilbert i, Jordan and Richardson 6 

 both differ in having the lateral margins of the head straighter 

 aud less spinate, while the broad interorbital space distinguishes 

 the former from all the others. 



1 Cuvier and Valenciennes — Hist. Nat. Poiss. , iv., 1829, p. 264, 

 pi. lxxxi. 



2 Began— Trans. Linn. Soc. (2), xii., 1908, p. 239. 



3 Jordan and Richardson — Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xxxiii., p. 645, fig. 5. 



4 Gilbert—Bull. U.S. Fish. Comm. for 1903, pt. ii., 1905, p. 640, 

 fig. 249. 



5 Gilbert— Loc cit., p. 642, fig. 250. 



6 Jordan and Richardson — Loc. cit- , p. 647, fig. 6. 



