BY J. DOUGLAS OGILBY. 31 



below anterior border of eye ; lower jaw broadh^ rounded, 

 not fitting into the rostral notch ; tip of mandible with a 

 small barbel, from either side of the base of which rises a 

 much shorter one directed outwards ; beyond these on each 

 side is a much longer barbel, nearly as long as the eye- 

 diameter. Interorbital region as wide as the eye-diameter, 

 with a short median and two longer and higher lateral 

 ridges in addition to the low supraciliary ridges ; occiput 

 with a pair of high sharp arcuate ridges, approachino- 

 mesialiy, and terminating in a spine ; preorbital anteriorly 

 with two blunt points, posterioily with a sharp curved 

 spine ; suborbital ridge well developed, smooth but divided 

 into continuous sections, commencing above the base 

 of the preorbital spine and terminating in front of that of 

 the upper preopercular spine ; preopercle with a long sharp 

 spine at the angle, and 3 others, which grow increasincrly 

 shorter and blunter, below ; opercle with three low diver- 

 gent ridges, the upper of w^hich ends in a small spine at the 

 base of the flap : parietal ridge smooth divided mesialiy. 

 Head and breast naked ; body-scales in regular series • 

 fins naked ; lateral line straight. 



Length of soft portion of dorsal fin 2*4 in that of the 

 spinous ; 1st dorsal spine equal to or longer than the 14th, 

 which is 1-35 in the 7th and longest ; last spine 1-15 in the 

 height of the soft rays, which exceed that of the spinous, 

 and do not extend beyond the base of the caudal. Anal 

 fin as high as the soft dorsal, the 1st spine much shorter 

 than the 2nd, which almost equals the 3rd, and is 1*2 in 

 iihe longest rays. Caudal fin rounded, the tips of the rays 

 slightly protruding. Pectoral reaching to below the middle 

 of the soft dorsal, the 2nd ray longest ; the 2 lower rays 

 simple, the outer of these wholly detached, the inner sepa- 

 rated from the branched rays by a broad membranous 

 interspace. Ventrals extending to the base of the 3rd 

 anal spine. 



When alive or newly captured these fishes are every- 

 where black except the caudal and a marginal band of 

 variable width on the soft dorsal and anal fins, which are 

 pure white. Shortly after immersion in formalin solution 

 the black commences to fade, and now, at the expiration 

 of twelve months, the bodies have become pale olive green 

 only the upper surface and sides of4he head and the tubular 



