Ill 



THE SPINED NIPHON, 



JV./.k4 spinosus Cuv. et VAL. 



PLATE Vir. 



Le Niphon, Cuv. et Valen. Hist. Nat. des Potssons. 

 D. 121.11 ; A. 3.7 j C. 17 j P. 16 j V. 1.5. 



INHABITS the Japanese seas, and is remarkable 

 for the strong and formidable knife-like spines 

 with which the opercles are armed ; indeed, the 

 whole head is sawed and spined in a singular 

 manner. The sub-orbitary bone has the lower 

 edges like a fine saw ; the preopercle is sawed on 

 its posterior edge, and strongly toothed below ; 

 while at the angle is a large and strong dagger- 

 formed spine, exceeding in length the edge of 

 the opercle. Upon the opercle itself three 

 spines rise edgeways from the surface. The 

 super-scapulary bone has two teeth, and the 

 humerus above the pectoral fin is furnished with 

 a flat spine. The first dorsal fin, the ventral, and 

 anal fins, are also all strongly spined, and com- 

 plete the array of this well defended species. 

 The upper parts are of a pale brown colour, the 

 lower parts silvery, the dark shade of the upper 

 part is divided, in a line from the eye backwards, 



