70 



•ENDEAVOUR" SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



portion of the fin may be rounded or else the anterior rays are 

 much the longest. The ventral spine is placed below the 

 middle of the pectoral in some specimens and well in advance 

 of it in others. Notwithstanding the variable form and posi- 

 tion of the fins, their numbers of rays and spines are fairly 

 constant, and in twent)-fi\e specimens I find them to be as 

 ■follows:— D. vi./25-2g, A. iii./i2-i5, P. 14-16, V. i./5, C. 17. 



A constant character is afforded by the black ocellus on the 

 dorsal fin, it being present in all the "Endeavour" specimens. 

 One very small example, 75 mm. long, is covered with large 

 brown spots distributed evenly o\er the body and in no way 

 correlated with the darker bands which appear in older 

 specimens; others of the same size, however, show no such 

 marking. 



