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



and between the eyes. Another band runs fiom the eye to the ex- 

 tremity of the maxillary and round the chin. The succeeding band 

 encircles the head entirely ; crossing thfi nape, and descending over 

 the preeoperculnm, it reaches across the isthmus of the throat. Body 

 with five cross bands, the posterior becoming broader, leaving only 

 a narrow interspace between them r'-^the first from before the dorsal 

 fin across the operculum ; the second from the third, fourth, and 

 fifth dorsal spines to behind the ])eetoral ; the fifth occupies the 

 space between the posterior dorsal and anal rays and nearly the whole 

 of the free portion of the tail. Dorsal fin violet at the base, orange- 

 coloured above, with violet tips to the rays and spines ; anal and veu- 

 trals similarly coloured ; pectoral and caudal fins orange-coloured. 



Two dried examples, 8 inches long, of this species were received 

 from Cape York, Australia. 



Champsodon (g. n. Trachininorum)'. 



Body compressed, elongate, covered with minute granular scales. 

 Cleft of the mouth oblique, very wide. Eye lateral, directed up- 

 wards. Two dorsal fins ; ventral fins jugular ; pectorals com])osed 

 of very fine branched rays, united by a thin membrane. Teeth in 

 the jaws in a single series, not closely set, of unequal size, those of 

 the lower jaw longer than the upjier ones. Vomerine teeth cardi- 

 form, in two separate patches ; palatine teeth none. Gill-openings 

 exceedingly wide. None of the bones of the head armed. 



China Seas. 



Champsodon vorax. 



D. 5120. A. 17. V. 1/5. 



The head is compressed, nearly twice as long as deep, and its 

 length is two-sevenths of the total (without caudal). The cleft of 

 the mouth is exceedingly wide, extending behind the eye, and its 

 width being much more than one-half of the length of the head. 

 The lower jaw is bent ujiwards and projects far beyond the upper. 

 The snout (without the projecting part of the lower jaw) is not much 

 longer than the eye, the diameter of which is one-fifth or one-sixth 

 of the length of the. head. The eye is situated in a notch of the 

 upper profile ; the iuterorbital space slightly concave, and rather 

 narrower than the eyes. Crown of the head scaly. Opercular mar- 

 gin very thin, flexible, radiated. The height of the body is contained 

 five times and one-half in the total length (without caudal). Caudal 

 fin emarginate. Pectorals much shorter than ventrals, which extend 

 nearly to the vent. Coloration uniform. 



A single specimen of this species, 2| inches long, and not in a 

 good state of preservation, was presented by Vice-Admiral Sir E. 

 Belcher to the British Museum. 



Mastacembelus cryptacanthus. 



D. 24 I 100. A. 2|ca. 100. 



Pr?eoperculum with two spines. The maxillary extends to the 



