30 COLLECTIONS PROM MELANESIA. 



Syngnathus trachypoma. 

 D. 21. Osseous rings 18+33. 



Allied to S. grayi. Base of the dorsal fin elevated. The length of 

 the snoTit is two fifths of that of the head, its upper surface is armed 

 with several spines; forehead high, abruptly descending towards 

 the snout. Eyes large, with broad prominent supraciUaries which 

 bear several denticulations on their edges ; the space between the 

 eyes is very broad and deeply concave. Occiput high, with large 

 tubercles, the middle of which are arranged in a longitudinal crest. 

 Operculum with radiating striae, the upper and strongest of which is 

 bent upwards. Humerus raised into a high prominence which, like 

 all the surrounding scutes, is deeply pitted. Body not deeper than 

 broad ; edges of the scutes prominent and strongly serrated. Tail 

 not much longer than the body including the head. Vent below 

 the middle of the dorsal fin, which stands on four rings. Caudal ^n 

 small. The prominent portions of the head, the upperside of the 

 body and tail, and perhaps also the side of the trunk are provided 

 with lacerated tentacles. No well-defined markings can be distin- 

 guished, the coloration consisting of marbling of brown with 

 mother-of-pearl patches. The tentacles are of the same colour as 

 the body. 



One specimen was obtained at Thursday Island, two others at 

 Prince of Wales Island. The dimensions of the largest are : — 



Total length 50 lines. 



Length of tail 29 „ 



Length of head 7 „ 



Length of snout ........ 2| „ 



Doryichthys serialis. (Plate III. fig. B.) 

 D. 21. Osseous rings 14+20. 



This is a short species with a compressed body and short tail. 

 The ridges are distinct, but slightly spinous on the tail only. 

 Lateral line uninterrupted, passing into the lower ridge of the taU. 

 Snout more than half as long as the head, straight ; eye of moderate 

 size ; interorbital space narrow. Head half as long as the trunk • 

 bones of the head pitted and irregularly sculptured. Operculum 

 with a very distinct straight ridge along its middle. Vent midway 

 between the end of the gill-cover and the root of the caudal, and 

 behind tjie middle of the dorsal fin. Dorsal fin standing on six rings 

 four of which belong to the trunk. Caudal very short. Each side 

 of the body is ornamented by two series of black dots, one series 

 being above and the other below the lateral line ; one pair of dots 

 corresponds to each of the rings. Some other inconstant black dots 

 are scattered about between the two series ; a black band runs 

 , through the eye from the upper end of the operculum along each 

 side of the snout. 



