44 LOPHOBRANCHII. 



This species varies also in the length of the snout, which is 

 moreover more slender in the males. Young individuals have a 

 somewhat different physiognomy, owing to the more developed 

 rostral crest being stretched out more nearly in the plane of the 

 head, which is but slightly elevated. The dark cross-bands are 

 bordered posteriorly with white, and there are bluish-white spots 

 along the ventral line. The ground-colour is grey marbled with 

 brownish tints. 



19. Syngnathus tenuirostris, Rathke. 



Syngnathus tenuirostris, Rathke et V. Nordmann, Pisces, in A. 



de Demidojfs Voy. dans la Russie mer. t. 11. f. 1, 2. 

 Syngnathus Acus, Michahelles, Isis, 1829, p. 1012. 



Diagn. — The long, thin snout measured from the proximal 

 border of the orbit is equal in length to the distance from 

 thence to the second body-ring. Body-rings from 15 to 17. 

 Dorsal fin standing on from 7 to 9 rings, having 35 or 36 

 rays, and occupying a space much shorter than the length 

 of the head and snout together. 



Descr. — This handsome and easily determined species ap- 

 proaches nearest to Acus, but its occipital crest and the edges 

 of the back and belly are more distinctly toothed. I never saw 

 a full-grown Acus with so lengthened a snout : a specimen of 

 Acus measuring 15J inches, has a snout no longer than that of 

 an individual of tenuirostris, whose total length does not exceed 

 9^ inches. The numbers of rings and lengths of the snouts of 

 nine specimens are here subjoined. 



mens in the British and Parisian collections. 



