100 DR. A. GUNTHER ON NEW FISHES. [Jan. 24, 



space, but somewhat less than the extent of the snout, contained 

 four times and one-half in the length of the head. Opercles scaly ; 

 the scales on the piseoperculum in seven or eight series, much 

 smaller than those on the operculum and rest of the body. Cleft 

 of the mouth oblique, the upper maxillary reaching to the vertical 

 from the centre of the eye ; praeorbital somewhat wider than the 

 maxillary. Praeoperculum rounded, finely serrated behind, entire 

 below ; sub- and interoperculum entire. Operculum with three flat 

 short points, the upper and lower of which are concealed by the 

 scales, the middle one being the longest and sharpest. 



Dorsal fin commencing just above the extremity of the operculum ; 

 its spinous portion scarcely lower, but longer, than the soft ; the 

 fourth, fifth, and sixth spines are the longest, more than one-third 

 the length of the head ; the first spine is very short, half as long as 

 the diameter of the eye. Soft dorsal rounded ; the anterior and 

 middle rays the longest, the sixth being not quite twice as long as 

 the last spine. Caudal fin truncated, slightly rounded at the angles, 

 about one-sixth of the total length. Anal with the soft portion narrow 

 and deeper than the dorsal fin ; second anal spine strong and long, 

 two-fifths the length of the head ; third anal spine much longer than 

 the first. Pectoral long, rounded, reaching to above the vent, four- 

 fifths of the length of the head. Ventrals not reaching to the vent. 



Teeth villiform; several larger teeth in the outer series of both jaws. 

 Vomerine and palatine teeth in narrow bands. Tongue toothless. 



Brownish olive, with indistinct darker cross bands extending on 

 the dorsal fin. A broad white cross band on the belly, before the 

 vent, extending upwards to the level of the pectoral fin. A small 

 deep-black spot behind the top of the last dorsal spine, on the middle 

 of the two first dorsal rays ; several other, irregular, more or less 

 distinct spots on the dorsal fin corresponding to the cross bands on 

 the body. The soft vertical fins with transverse series of small 

 brownish spots. A small black round spot above and below on the 

 root of the caudal fin. Pectoral red ; ventral blackish. 



Two specimens, 4 inches long. 



Plectropoma sustjki, Schleg. ; Giinther, Cat. Fish. i. p. 160. 



This species was known from the Chinese and Japanese Seas only; 

 and as the prseoperculum has not been well described by Schlegel, I 

 think it necessary to give a description taken from two fine examples, 

 12 inches long, sent by Mr. Krefft from Sydney. 



D. ij. A. |. L.lat. 110. 



The depth of the body is contained thrice or twice and two- thirds 

 in the total length (without caudal) ; the length of the head (oper- 

 cular spine and membrane included) twice and two-thirds ; snout 

 moderately pointed, longer than the diameter of the eye. The cleft 

 of the mouth is wide and oblique, the maxillary extending to the 

 posterior margin of the orbit. Snout with minute rudimentary 

 scales, upper maxillary and mandible scaleless ; one-half of the prse- 

 orbital with small distinct scales. Eye situated immediately beneath 



