from the Bay of Bengal, 429 



left a well-marked groove which recurves across the cheek ; 

 interocular space narrowest in the middle, where its width is 

 barely | the vertical diameter of the eye ; occupied by nume- 

 rous longitudinal serrated crests, with deep furrows inter- 

 vening. Nostrils tubular. 



Mouth broad ; the maxilla does not reach the vertical 

 through the middle of the orbit. Villiform teeth in the jaws 

 and in a narrow band on the bevelled edge of the vomer. 



Gill-openings moderately wide ; gill-membranes united to 

 the isthmus ; fourth gill-cleft a small foramen. Integument 

 thick, investing all the tins except the caudal. All the tin- 

 rays simple. 



Dorsal tins separated by a deep notcli ; the spinous portion 

 is very irregular ; the first spine is very small, the second 

 and third, wjiich are of nearly equal length — not quite half 

 that of the head — are isolated from each other and from the 

 rest of tiie fin ; the fourth, fifth, and sixth, which are of 

 nearly equal length inter se — almost half that of the head — 

 form an isolated group ; the next four, which are short and 

 weak, form another isolated group ; the spine of the second 

 dorsal fin is more than half the length of the head and longer 

 than the soft rays. Caudal truncated. Pectoral nearly as 

 long as the head ; its appendage, which is very thick and 

 rigid, reaches to the second anal ray. Ventral adherent to 

 the abdomen through the greater part of its extent, reaching 

 to the vent. 



Colours in life : — Crown and nape deep brown, throat 

 milk-white, body and fins deep crimson, becoming very dark 

 at the margins of the spinous dorsal, anal, and paired fins ; 

 inner surface of pectorals dark brown, with broad canary- 

 yellow lines forming a hexagonal pattern. The crimson is 

 dissolved out in spirit. 



Air-bladder small. Two pyloric appendages. 



Length 4*25 inches. 



Off Ganjam coast, 28 to 30 fathoms ; bottom sand and 

 shells. 



Family Cottidae. 



Lepidotrigla, Gthr. 



Lepidotrigia spiloptera, Gthr. 



Lepidotrigla spiloptera, Giinther, Zool. Cliall. Exp. vol. i. pt, vi. p. 42, 

 pi. xviii. fig. C. 



Var. nov. longipinnis. 

 One specimen, answering in every respect, even in the 



