467 



4' 7-5 in the head. Interorbital space 2*l-2'3 in the length of 

 the orbit and 3'2-3"6 in the snout. Breadth behind the pec- 

 torals r9-2'09, third dorsal spine 2'3-2'4, and longest dorsal 

 ray 2*6-2*8 in the head. 



Head. — Cranial ridges numerous and distinct, but without 

 spines. Anterior orbital spine moderately prominent; inner 

 orbital margins raised, leaving the interorbital space concave. 

 Spines of the preorbital bone small. Cheek with two parallel 

 ridges, with a hollow between them ; the upper one bears a 

 microscopic spine just behind the verticle of the postorbital 

 margin, from which a series of ridges radiate over the exposed 

 preopercular bone. Two strong preopercular spines, the lower 

 of which is the larger, and the upper one is directed obliquely 

 upward. Anterior nostril with a short tentacle. The maxilla 

 extends to below the anterior third of the eye. Gill-rakers 

 developed only on the hinder portion of the lower limb of the 

 first arch, where they are short and thick, becoming longer as 

 they approach the angle ; anteriorly they are represented by 

 mere groups of spines. 



Teeth. — Upper jaw with a band of villiform teeth on 

 each side, which is expanded near the symphysis, where there 

 are also several strong canines. Sides of mandible with a 

 single row of enlarged canine-like teeth, which are largest in 

 the middle of the series and near the symphysis ; some minute 

 teeth are present on the outer side of the bases of the larger 

 ones. Vomerine teeth arranged in a single arched series, those 

 in the middle being very small, the outer ones larger. Pala- 

 tines armed with a row of strong canines, which decrease in 

 size backwards, and have some minute teeth external to their 

 bases. 



Scales. — Body covered with ctenoid scales of moderate 

 size, which extend forward to the anterior margin of the eye. 

 Lateral line scales not differentiated from the others ; the first 

 two are usually spiniform. There are about 78-88 rows of 

 scales above the lateral line, according to the direction in 

 which they are counted. 



Firis. — Origin of the first dorsal fin behind the opercles ; 

 the first spine is very small, the third the longest ; the second 

 ray is the longest, the others decreasing in length backwards. 

 Anal commencing a trifle behind and terminating well behind 

 the dorsal ; its rays are shorter than those of that fin, the 

 fourth the highest, the others decreasing backwards. Ventrals 

 reaching a little beyond the origin of the anal. Caudal sub- 

 truncate. 



Colour. — Light sandy-yellow after long preservation in 

 formalin, almost without darker markincr. There is a dark 

 area in the middle of the opercle, and some bluish blotches 



