319 



particular, keep guard. The eggs, which are large (1.25 mm.) 

 and float at the surface, are never numerous but vary from 

 a few hundreds to a few thousands according to the size of 

 the flsh. Dr. A. WiLLEY gives a full description of the nest, 

 egg and young of this species in Spolia Zeylanica, vol. VI, 

 pp. 108 — 123." 



OpJiioccpJialus cyanospiliis is known from the type specimen 

 only, when we except 2 specimens mentioned by VOLZ (Revue 

 Suisse de Zoologie XII. 1904, p. 460) with a ? behind that name. 

 This type specimen is a young fish of 102 mm. and differs 

 according to Bleeker, from 0. striatus by the presence of 

 small bluish or mother-of-pearl coloured ocelli on the ventral 

 side of the trunk. The origin of the dorsal is situated "circiter" 

 above that of the pectorals and the maxillary reaches only 

 to below hindborder of eye. Lastnamed character is due to 

 the young age of the specimen, the other differences from 

 0. striatus are so slight, that it seems to us justified to range 

 O. cyanospiliis — although with a? — under the synonyms 

 o{ 0. striatus. 



The type of O. cyanospilus^ which came from Telokbetong, 

 Sumatra, is apparently lost, as it is neither in the Leiden nor 

 in the British Museum. 



4. Ophiocephalus melanosoma Blkr. 



Ophiccphalus melasoma Bleeker, Nat. TijJschr. Ned. Indie II. 1851, p. 424. 

 Opiticephaiiis rhodotaenia Bleeker, ibid. p. 425. 



Ophiccphalus vtystax Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. V. 1853, p. 188. 

 Ophiocephalus melanosoma Giinther, Cat. Brit. Mus. III. 1861, p. 473. 

 Ophiocephalus melanosoma Bleeker, Atl. ichth. IX. 1877, Tab. 399. fig. 4. — 



Verb. Akad. Amsterdam XIX. 1879, I'oissons pharyng. labyr. p. 46. 

 Ophiocephalus rhodotaenia Bleeker, ibid. p. 47. 

 Ophiocephalus haramcnsis Steindachner, Abb. Senckenb, Naturf. (lesellsch. XXV. 



1901, p. 435. 

 Ophiocephalus rhodotaenia Steindachner, I.e. 



Ophiocephalus mystax Volz, Revue Suisse de Zoologie XII. fasc. 2, 1904, p. 459. 

 Ophiocephalus melanosoma Volz, ibid. p. 460. 



4—4^ 



D. 37—41; A. 21—25; P- 14—15; V. 6; L.l. 50—52; L.tr. i . 



8-9 



Cylindrical anteriorly, compressed posteriorly. Height 5 — 5.8, 

 5.9 — 7.2 in length with caudal. Head 3.1 — 3.3, 3.8 — 4.2 in 

 length with caudal. Head depressed, its upper profile straight, 

 interorbital space flat. Eye 5.7 (in specimen of 168 mm.) — 7 

 (in spec, of 285 mm.), about twice or a little less, in small 



