1871.] IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 659 



Two specimens were sent by Dr. A. B. Meyer from Manado ; the 

 larger is 5, and the smaller 4 inches long. 



Sebastes rhodochrous. 



D. 1 1 |i. A. g. L. lat. ca. 48. 



jy 5 



The height of the body is one third of the total length (without 

 caudal), the length of the head one half. Interorbital space deeply 

 concave, very narrow, its width being only one third of the diameter 

 of the eye. Snout longer than the eye, which is oue fourth of the 

 length cf the head. Spines of the head prominent and acute. 

 Supraorbital margin with one spine in front and two behind. No 

 groove on the occiput. Infraorbital with a single ridge armed with 

 four spines. Occiput naked ; opercles and cheeks scaly. The pala- 

 tine teeth form a narrow band. Dorsal spines strong, the third, 

 fourth, and fifth are the longest, but only a little longer than the 

 eye ; the eleventh considerably shorter than the twelfth. The se- 

 cond anal spine is stronger and longer than the third, and one third 

 of the length of the head. The pectoral fin extends to the anal. 

 Caudal fin truncated. Red, the upper parts of the fish irregularly 

 marbled with blackish. A large black spot between the seventh and 

 tenth dorsal spines on the base. All the other fins nearly uniform 

 red. Pharynx with scarcely any blackish spots. 



Two specimens were obtained by Dr. A. B. Meyer at Manado ; 

 the larger is 8 inches long. 



Agriopus torvus (Gronow). 



This fish is figured in 'Arcana, or the Museum of Natural History,' 

 under the name of Congiopodus percatus. As this work appears to 

 have been issued in or about the year 1811, it is a question whether 

 the generic name of Congiopodus should not have priority before 

 Agriopus, Cuvier, 1829. After some consideration I came to the 

 conclusion that the generally adopted nomenclature should not be 

 disturbed in this case, for the following reasons : — 



1. The 'Arcana' shows on every page evidence of its unscientific 

 character ; it was a production of a very inferior kind even for the 

 early period in which it made its appearance. The way in which it 

 was published appears to have been very irregular ; no name pf a 

 responsible editor or author appears on the titlepage ; "Editors" 

 are mentioned in the introduction, and the dedicatory notice is signed 

 " G. Perry," who, I believe, was an artist, but not a naturalist. 

 Thus we are left in ignorance as regards the authorship of the new 

 names employed in the book. 



2. Although the figure of '" Congiopodus percatus" is recognizable, 

 no proper characters of the genus are given ; after having made a 

 few insignificant remarks about the fish, the author of the article 

 runs off into considerations of the organization of fishes generally. 



3. It will be difficult to discover the etymology of the term 

 "Congiopodus." Even if intended for " Conchopodus," or "Conio- 

 podus," the term is without any meaning when applied to Agriopus, 



