'28 ON NEW OR INSUFFICIENTLY DESCRIBED FISHES 



the two upper ending in more or less conspicuous spinous 

 points ; opercle with two strong spines at the end of diver- 

 gent ridges, the upper spine the longer. Occipital groove 

 deep and transversely oblong, bordered anteriorly by a 

 sharp ridge, which is highest externally. Two or three 

 small cirri on the head of the maxillary and a much larger 

 fringed one behind the anterior nostril ; supraorbital ridge 

 sometimes with a small cirrus ; a large fringed cirrus near 

 the distal end of the preorbital and a series of six smaller 

 ones round the chin, behinci which are a still smaller pair 

 on the median line ; some well developed fringed cirri on 

 the body, principally a,long the lateral line, which is without 

 spinous plates anteriorly. Scales in fairly regular series ; 

 ,fins naked. 



Length of soft portion of dorsal fin 1*9 in that of the 

 spinous portion ; first dorsal spine a trifle longer than the 

 eleventh and 2*5 in the fourth, Avhich is a little longer than 

 the third or fifth ; last spine 1*4 in the height of the soft 

 dorsal, which is ecjual to that of the spinous. Second anal 

 spine much stronger and longer than the third, as long as 

 the anterior rays, and higher than the spinous dorsal. 

 Caudal fin rounded. Pectoral extending to a little beyond 

 the vertical from the vent, the width of its base 1*85 in the 

 fifth and longest ray. Ventral reaching to the vent, which 

 is an eye- diameter in front of the anal fin. 



Gill-rakers 5 -\- 11, all but the pair at the angle tuber- 

 cular. 



Pale brown blotched with blackish brown, the most 

 pronounced markings being across the nape, between the 

 middle of the spinous dorsal and the lateral line, and between 

 the soft dorsal and the anal ; in addition to these the ground 

 color is profusely freckled with darker ; a small whitish 

 spot at the base of the last dorsal ray and a second some- 

 times at the root of the caudal ; throat and abdomen 

 pearly white : head somewhat darker than the back and 

 sides, the blotches, however, being replaced by dark brown 

 spots, the lower surface dirty white, anteriorly freckled or 

 stained with yellowish brown, the mental cirri and a few 

 scattered spots darker brown ; a vertical black bar between 

 the eye and the suborbital ridge ; a silvery spot on and 

 behind the inter orbital region present or absent. Spinous 

 •dorsal blackish, with an irregular suprabasal and infra- 



