FAMILY, XXV— COTTID^. 27-5 



3. Tlatyoephdm macracanthus, D. 1 | 8 | 12, A. 12, L. 1. 75, having 15 spines. Eidges on head spined 

 or serrated. Largest preopercular spine if laid forwards would reach orbit. Brownish. Seas of India 

 to Amboina. 



B. Lateral-line smooth. 



4. Platycephahis msidiator, D. 1 | 7 | 13, A. 13, L. 1. 120. Ridges on head slightly spined. Two large 

 spines at angle of preopercle. Brownish, caudal yellow with oblique black bands. Eed Sea, seas of India to 

 the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



5. Platye&phalMS pvmctatm, D. 1 | 8 | 12, A. 11-12, L. 1. 110. Ridges on head spinate. Largest 

 preopercular spine about 1/7 of length of head. Brown, banded and with black spots. Seas of India to Malay 

 Archipelago. 



6. Flatycffphalus serratus, D. 1 | 8 | 11-12, A. 11. Ridges on head serrated not spinate. Brownish, 

 with vertical bands. Trincomalee. 



7. Platyc&phahis ea/rhwnculus, D. 1 | 8 | 11-12, A. 11-12, L. 1. 75-80. Brownish spotted. Seas of India 

 to the Malay Archipelago. 



A. Lateral-Une a/rmed with spines. 

 1. Platycephalus scaber, Plate LX, fig. 4. 



CoUus scaler, Linn. Mus. Ad. Fred, ii, p. 66, and Syst. Nat. i, p. 451 ; Bloch, t. cl^xx ; Gmel. Linn, 

 p. 1209. 



Platycephalus scaler, Bl. Schn. p. 58 ; Cuv. and Yal. iv, p. 249 ; Bleeker, Sclerop. p. 6 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. 

 and Sc. 1851, p. 142 ; (Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 187, not syn.) ; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 123 ; Peters, Monats. 

 Akad. Berlin, 1868, p. 258 ; Sauvage, M^m. Mus. 1874, p. 59. 



GalUonymMs, Russell, Fish. Vizag. i, p. 37, and Irrwa, fig. xlvii. 



Platycephalus vittatus, Cuv. and Val. ix, p. 462. 



Platycephalus neglectus, Trosch. Wiegm. Arch. 1840, p. 187 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 187. 



Vet-ool-pa-thy, Tarn. 



B. vi, D. 1 I 7-8 I 12, P. 21, V. 1/5, A. 12, C. 15, L. r. 106. Spines 55. 



Length of head 3| to 3f , of pectoral 7| to 8, of caudal 8, height of body 8 in the total length. Eyes — 

 diameter 4^ to 5f in length of head, IJ to 1-| diameters from end of snout, and 2/3 of a diameter apart. 

 Interorbital space concave. Greatest width of head equals If in its length, and its height equals 1/3 of its 

 length. The maxiUa extends to under the anterior 1/3 of the orbit : a sharp spine at the anterior superior edge 

 of the orbit. Supraorbital margin serrated, and from it a spinate ridge goes to the occiput. A similar 

 ridge passes from the hind edge of the eye to the shoulder : a third spiny ridge extends from the preorbital to 

 the angle of the preopercle where there are two spines, the upper if laid forwards reaching 1/2 or 2/3 of 

 the distance to the orbit, it has a third short spine anteriorly at its base. In a specimen 5 inches long the 

 preopercular spine if laid forwards would reach as far as the orbit. No spines at nostrils, but in some specimens 

 on the median ridge, opposite the nostrils are two small ones. Two opercular spines. Teeth — small in jaws, in 

 two oval parallel patches, about as long as the diameter of the eye on the vomer : in an elongated 

 band on either palatine. Fins — second dorsal spine equals 2| to 3 in the length of the head, and is not quite so 

 high as the two next, second dorsal of about the same height as the first. Ventral nearly reaches the anal 

 which commences slightly behind the vertical from that of the first dorsal ray. Caudal cut nearly square. 

 Scales — ^from 4 to 5 rows between the lateral-line and base of first dorsal fin, each of those on the cheeks is 

 famished with a small spinate point, which in old individuals is occasionally subdivided into several as if serrated. 

 Lateral-line — with about 55 rather strong spines directed backwards, and extending along its entire length, one 

 being on every alternate scale. Colours — ^brownish, becoming dull white beneath, more or less distinct vertical 

 bands pass from the back to the sides. First dorsal clouded with black, second dorsal spotted. Pectoral and 

 ventral usually dark externally. Caudal grayish in its last half. 



Platycephalus sealer, Gunther=:P. rodericensis, C. V. iv, p. 253. It is said of P. pwnctatus, C. V. 

 (iv, p. 245) this species makes a sort of transition to the scaler : but it has not like the scaler the lateral-line 

 spiny. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. The specimen figured (7 inches long) is 

 from Madras where it is common. 



2. Platycephalus tuberculatus, Plate LX, fig. 5. 



Cuv. and Val. iv, p. 258 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 186. 



B. vi, D. 1 I 7-8 I 11-12, P. 21, V. 1/5, A. 11-12, C. 15, L. 1. 53-55. 



Length of head 1/3 to 4/13, of pectoral 1/8, of caudal 1/7, height of body 1/6 in the total length. 

 Eyes — directed upwards and somewhat outwards, diameter 3f to 4 in the length of head, Ij to Ii diameters 

 from end of snout, and 1/4 of a diameter apart. Interorbital space concave. Width of head between 

 the preopercular spines equals Ij in its length. The maxilla extends to below the front quarter of the eye. 

 Supraorbital margin serrated, and having two sharp spines anteriorly, from it posteriorly passes a serrated 

 ridge towards the occiput, whilst a second goes from behind the eye to the upper opercular spine : a third 



2 N 2 



