434 Mr. A. Alcock oti undescribed Shore-Fishes 



Snout obtusely pointed, scaleless ; its length is not quite 

 two thirds the major diameter of the eye, which is one third 

 the head-length. Eyes on the left side, separated by a very 

 thin and sliarp decliving ridge ; the lower in advance of the 

 upper. 



Mouth small ; tlie maxilla, which barely reaches behind 

 tlie vertical through the anterior limit of the lower ej'e, is 8^ 

 in the head-length. Minute, even, close, uniserial teeth in 

 both sides of both jaws. 



Gill-membranes broadly united ; gill-rakers small, smooth. 

 Scales of moderate size, fairly adherent and strongly ctenoid 

 on the coloured, cycloid and very deciduous on the blind side. 

 Lateral line with a strong supra-pectoral curve. 



The dorsal fin begins almost on the tip of the snout ; its 

 highest rays (in the female) are not quite equal to the con-e- 

 sponding anal rays, which are nearly one third the maximum 

 body-height. Caudal obtusely rounded, its length one sixth 

 of the total. The rays of all the vertical fins scaly. Right 

 pectoral equiradial with, but much narrower and shorter than, 

 the left, which is as long as the portion of the head beiiind 

 the middle of the lower eye. Left ventral with the rays in a 

 linear series along the middle abdominal line. 



Colours in life : — Left side dusky brown, with indefinite 

 blackish patches round the body inside the vertical fins and 

 along the lateral line, and with black speckles on all the fins. 



Two female specimens with enlarged ovaries. 



Length 2*8 inches. 



Off Canjam coast, 30 fathoms ; bottom sand and shells. 



This species appears to be closely related to the preceding. 



Rhomboidichthys, Blkr. 



Rhmnhoidichthys polylepis^ Alcock. 



Aniofflossus poli/lepis, Alcock, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. Iviii. pt. ii. 

 pp. 200, :291, pi. xvi. tig. 1. 



A large mature female with gravid ovaries was taken off the 

 south-east coast of Ceylon in 32 fathoms. 



In this female specimen the interorbital space is two fifths 

 of the snout-length in width, deeply concave, scaleless ; the 

 maxilla measures one third the head-length ; the first two 

 rays of the dorsal fin (which in the male (?) are detached and 

 curiously thickened at their bases) are small, unmodified, and 

 continuous with the rest of the fin. The pectoral fins of both 

 sides are also slightly more developed than in the male (?). 



This species appears to be closely allied to the next fol- 

 owins;. 



