110 *' THETIS " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



rather more than the length of the snout, and thrice the inter- 

 orbital space. The greatest width of the head is greater than the 

 length of the eye and snout together. Snout rather acute. Cleft 

 of mouth slightly oblique ; lower jaw a little the longer ; the 

 maxillary reaches to just within the anterior margin of the eye. 

 The hind limb of the preoperculum is tuberculate rather than 

 serrated. One flat opercular spine. 



Teeth. — A broad band of villiform teeth in each jaw, the outer 

 row the larger ; four pairs of canines at the symphysis of both 

 jaws, and similar teeth on the lateral edges ; a large patch of 

 teeth on the vomer ; palatines toothless. Dorsal spines subequal, 

 one-third the length of the head, the first two originating close 

 together. Rays long, 1 -6 in the same. The pectoral is contained 

 1-2 in the length of the head, and is longer than the ventral, 

 which latter reaches the anal. The anal is lower than the soft 

 dorsal. Caudal truncate, its pedicel one-third the length of the 

 head. 



Scales ciliate, rather large, rather adherent, those of the lateral 

 line anteriorly with the tubule ascending. 



Colours. — Warm brown above, each scale with a lighter centre ; 

 white beneath, with an ill-defined yellowish band separating the 

 areas ; head greyer and darker than the body ; seven large dark 

 brown blotches at the base of the dorsal, extending below the 

 lateral line anteriorly ; a dark band at the base of the caudal 

 rays, forming a blotch at the upper and lower margins ; tail 

 crossed by five vertical yellow bands ; no blotch in the spinous 

 dorsal; its margin, as also that of the rays, ornamented with 

 white spots ; rest of fins yellow. 



Total length 190 mm. 



The species of this genus have been so ill-described that one 

 naturally hesitates to bestow additional names. On the other 

 hand, without reference to the actual type, it is absolutely 

 impossible to decide how far any description may be applied to 

 an individual. 



As far as may be judged, therefore, the present form is unde- 

 scribed, and I consider the wiser course is to publish the foregoing 

 description and accompanying figure for the consideration of those 

 who may be in a position to solve the problems involved. 



The most striking features of the species are the very large size 

 of the eye and the small width of the interorbital space. These 

 characters, together with the subequal length of the dorsal spines, 

 render it a very striking and peculiar species. As I have 

 examined all other specimens available to me, some observations 

 made thereon may be fittingly published. 



