ACANTHOPTERYGII. 123 



are no palatine teeth, and that the dorsal and pectoral rays are ex- 

 cessively elongated. 



These fishes are from India, and are not less remarkable for 



this singular prolongation, than for the beauty of their colour- 



ing.(l) 



Blepsias. 



The head compressedj cheeks mailed; fleshy cirri under the lower 

 jawj five branchial raysj ventrals very small, and one very high dor- 

 sal divided by emarginations into three parts. 



The only species known are from the Aleutian islands. (2) 



Apistus. 



The palatine teeth and entire dorsal of the the Scorpaena; but the 

 few rays of their pectorals are all branched. Their distinguishing 

 character consists in a stout spine on the suborbital, which, inclin- 

 ing from the cheeks, becomes a most dangerous weapon.(3) They 

 are all small. 



Those of the first division have a scaly body, and some of these 

 have a free ray under a large pectoral.(4) 



Others have ordinary pectorals, without free rays.(5) 

 In a second subdivision the body is naked; some of these also have 

 a free ray under the pectoral, (6) and others not.(7) 



Agriopus. 



No suborbital spine; the dorsal still higher than in Apistes, and 

 reaching between the eyes; the neck elevated, muzzle narrowed, 



fl) Sc. volitans, Gm., Bl., 184; — Sc. antennata, Bl., 185: — Sc. Koenigii, Id. New 

 Stokh. Mem., X, vii, and several new species described in our 4th vol. 



(2) Blennius villosus. Stellar, or Trachinus cirrhosus. Pall. Zoog., Russ., Ill, 

 237, No. 172. Blepsias is a name descended to us from the ancients without any 

 characteristic designation . 



(3) ' Avtg-k, per/idus. 



(4) Ap. aplatus, Cuv., Russel, 160, B; — Scorp, carinata, Bl., Schn. 



(5) Cottus australis, J. White, New South, IV, 266;— .4^. taenianotus, Cuv., 

 Lacep. IV, iii, 2, a figure entitled Tsmianote large rate, but one which has nothing 

 in common with the T. large rale, of the text, IV, 303 and 304, which is a Mala- 

 canthus, and the same that is represented, III, xxviii, 2, under the name o£ Labre 

 large raie,- — Perca cottoides, I.., Mus. Ad. Fred., II, p. 84. 



(6) Ap. minus, Cuv., Russel, 159; — Sc. vionodactyle, Bl., Schn. 



(7) The species are new, and described, as well as others of the preceding sub- 

 divisions, in our 4th vol. 



