FAMILY LOPHID^ MALI U.EA,. 167 



THE DOTTED MALTHEA. 



Maltii;ea noTata. 

 La Mallhic a stigmalrs. Cuv. a'ul Val. Hist, dcs Pui*s. Vol. 12, [>. 453. 



Characlcrislics. 'J'lirce or four round black spots on cacli side of tlic spine, midway between 

 tlie eye and branchial orilice. Length 3* inches. 



Description. Snout in its proportions resembling the preceding. Margin of llic prcopercle 

 enlarged as much as in M. vcsperttlio. Scaly disks neither so numerous nor so prominent. 

 Length, 3-5. 

 This small species was sent from New-York to Cuvier. I have not met with it. 



THE BAT MALTHEA. 



MALTH.I;i VESPERTILIO. 



Diablo. Parka, Doscnpcion de dif. piezas, &c. p. 5, pi. 4. 



La Malllice vLupcriiiion. Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poiss. Vol. 12, p. 440 



Characlcrislics. Snout elongated into a point. Skiu like shagreen, with scallering long 

 lubcrcles. Length 10- IS inches. 



Dcscnplion. Body flat icned. Snout pointed, and about the tenth of the total length. Width 

 at the prcoperclcs equal to its length, w hich is about half of that of the body. The whole 

 upper surface covered with a hard rough skin ; beneath softer, but rough. The facial out- 

 line descends vertically to the mouth, which is small, opening vertically. Upper jaw rather 

 longest, protractile. Teeth like shorn velvet, in a band in the jaws, vomer and palatines ; 

 asperities also on the base of the tongue. A triangular cavilv in front, from which arises a 

 filamentous process, lerminatjng in several fleshy filaments. Subopercle very large, ending 

 in a point, which reaches nearly to the elbow of the pectoral. 



The dorsal finis midway between the vcnl and anal fin, lower than the anal, and composed 

 of four simple rays. Pectorals broad, with eleven rays. Ventrals short, with five rays difficult 

 10 be distinguished. The vent in the middle of the total length. Anal fin three times higher 

 than long, and with four rays. Caudal I'm nearly even, quite rough, and with nine rays. 

 Numerous short filaments on tiie enlarged part of the body. The opaque portion of the cor- 

 nea is rough, and furnished with very small lubcrcles on its borders. 



Color. Pale greyish brown above ; pale reddish beneath. 



Length, 8-0 - 18-0. 



Pin rays, D. 4 ; P. 1 1 ; V. 5 ; A. 1 ; C. 'J. 



1 have not met with this fish on the coast of New-York ; but as it is roiiimon m the Carib- 

 bean sea, and as I\L Lapilayc has obtained it from the Banks of Newfoundland, we may well 



