772 MR. C. TATE REGAN ON ASIATIC [NoA^ 9, 



2. POLYACANTHUS. 



Polyacanthios (part.) Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. vii. p, 353 

 (1831); Giinth. Cat. Fish. iii. p. 378 (1861). 



Fohjacantlms Bleek. Verh, Ak. Amst. xix. 1879, p. 12. 



Body oblong, compressed. Jaws with fixed conical teeth ; 

 palate toothless. Pi'seoperculum serrated. Dorsal with XIV- 

 XIX 8-1 1 rays ; origin in advance of that of the anal, which has 

 XIV-XVII 10-13 rays ; soft dorsal and anal scaly at the base 

 and with the rays branched. Pelvica inserted below the pectorals, 

 of a spine and 5 branched rays, the first of which is produced into 

 two filaments. Scales large, regulai-ly arranged ; lateral line 

 interrupted below the posterior part of the spinous dorsal, com- 

 mencing again lower down. 



Two species from Ceylon and the Malay Archipelago. 



1. PoLYACANTHUS HASSELTII. 



Poly acanthus hasseltii Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. \\i. p. 353, 

 pis. cxcv., ccv. (1831) ; Giinth. Cat. Fish. iii. p. 378 (1861) ; Bleek. 

 Atl. Ichth. pi. cccxcvi. fig. 7 (1878) and Verh. Ak. Amst. xix. 

 1879, p. 12. 



Polyacanthus kuhlii Bleek. Nat. Gen. Arch. Ned. Ind. ii. 1845, 

 p. 520. 



Polyacanthus einthovenii Bleek. Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. ii. 

 1851, p. 423; Gimth. L c. 



Polyacanthus helfrichii Bleek. Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. viii. 

 1855, p. 162 ; Giinth. t. c. p. 379. 



Prseorbital not serrated ; maxillary extending to the vertical 

 from between the nostrils ; interorbital width more than 5 the 

 length of head. Dorsal XYI-XIX 10-13. Anal XV-XVII 

 11-13. 31 to 33 scales in a longitudinal seizes. Olivaceous; 

 young with darker cross-bars ; sometimes a blackish spot at the 

 base of the soft dorsal ; soft vertical fins sometimes with series of 

 small dark spots or with reticulating lines. 



Hab. Java, Sitmatra, and Borneo. 



A single specimen, 160 mm. in total length. 



2. Polyacanthus signatus. (Plate LXXVII. fig. 5.) 



Polyacanthus signatus Giinth. Cat, Fish. iii. p. 379 (1861) ; D33' 

 Fish. Ind. p. 371 (1878). 



Prfeorbital serrated ; maxillary extending to the vertical from 

 the anterior margin of eye ; interorbital width ^ or a little more 

 t'lan I the length of head. Dorsal XVI-XVIII 7-10. Anal 

 XIV-XVII 9-12. 29 to 32 scales in a longitudinal series. 

 Olivaceous ; usually a dark spot at the base of the soft dorsal fin. 



Ilah. Ceylon. 



Twelve specimens, measuring up to 130 mm. in total length, 

 including the types of the species. 



