270 ACAIfTHOPTERTGII. 



serrated ridge passes from the preorbital to the angle o£ the preoperele. A few spines in the median line 

 midway between eye and snout : a spinate ridge passes forwards from them on either side above the limbs of the 

 premaxillaries. A serrated bony ridge goes across the opercle to a strong spine at the middle of its 

 hind edge. Angle of preoperele with a strong spine which equals half the distance between its base and the 

 orbit. This spine has one superiorly at its base at the end of the serrated ridge, and another a little longer 

 inferiorly, and situated on the lower margia of the preoperele, which contains from. 2 to 4 more decreasing ia 

 size anteriorly and all pointing backwards. The number and size of these lower spines varies. Several spines 

 at the shoulder, and a strong one above the axilla. Teeth — villiform in jaws, in two oval parallel 

 patches on the vomer, and in an elongated band on the palatines. Fins — second dorsal spine 2J in length of 

 head, and not quite so high as the third, soft dorsal as high as the spinous. Ventral nearly reaches the anal, 

 which last arises below the second dorsal : caudal slightly rounded. Scales — from 4 to 5 rows between 

 the lateral-line and base of first dorsal fin : most of those on the cheeks have a rudimentary spine. Lateral- 

 line — with from 15 to 20 spiues in the first third of its course. Golov/rs — ^brown, becoming lighter beneath, 

 vertical bands pass from the back to the sides. First dorsal blackish brown : second dorsal spotted. Pectoral 

 with brown spots ia its upper two-thirds, and a black margia with a white edge along its lower border : outer 

 half of ventrals gray. 



The objection to considering this Cuv. and Val. fish is that it is observed that the lateral-line is nearly as 

 spinate as in P. scaler. It is identical with the species thus named in the British Museum. P. spinosus 

 according to a communication from Dr. Hubrecht has from 36 to 38 scales along the lateral-line. 



Habitat. — Seas of India. 



3. Platycephalus macracanthus, Plate LIX, fig. 3. 



Bleeker, Versl. and Meded. Ak. Wet. Amsterd. 1867, p. 7, c fig. 



B. vii, D. 1 I 8 I 12, P. 23, V. 1/5, A. 12, C. 13, L. 1. f|, L. tr. 4/15, Spines 15. 



Length of head 3f , of caudal 7|, height of body 7| in the total length, ^yes— diameter 4f in length of 

 head, li diameters from end of snout, and about 1/2 a diameter apart. Interorbital space concave. Width of 

 head between the preopercular spiues equal to about 1/2 its length. Lower jaw the longer : the maxilla 

 extends to below the first third of the eye. Supraorbital margin with six strong denticulations, and the ridge 

 from it to occiput with about five m^ore : ridge from eye to shoulder with about five spines : the one from pre- 

 orbital to preopercular spine with six, (besides being serrated), its lower edge serrated. A small spine internal 

 to the front nostril which is famished with a cirrus. Spine at angle of preoperele reaching to the base of the 

 pectoral, and having a short one inferiorly succeeded by another still more minute. Teeth — ^villiform in two 

 parallel patches on vomer, and in a narrow band along either palatines. Fins — second dorsal spine 2r in length 

 of head, and nearly as high as the commencement of the second dorsal. Pectoral, 2| in length of head, ventral 

 slightly lodger. Anal commences below second ray of dorsal : caudal cut square. Scales — those on the head not 

 spinate. Lateral-line — with about 15 small spiaes in the first portion of its course. Colours — ^brownish above, 

 becoming dnU white beneath, first dorsal and end of caudal darkish, second dorsal with broTvn spots on the rays. 



Habitat. — ^Madras, Amboina. The specimen figured (Ufe-size) is from Madras. 



B. Lateral-line smooth. 



4. Platycephalus insidiator. 



Cottus insidiator, Forsk. p. 25 ; Gmel. Linn. 1213; Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 260. 



Gallionyrrms Indians, Gmel. Linn. p. 1153 ; Eussell, Fish. Vizag. ii, p. 36, and Irrwa, pi xlvi 



Cottus spatula, Bl. t. 424. 



Platycephalus insidiator, Bl. Schn. p. 69 ; Cuv. and Val. iv, p. 227; Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 102; Bleeker, 

 Sclerop. p 6 ; Temm. and Schleg, Fauna Japon. Poiss. p. 39, pi. 15, f. 1 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 371 Richards. Ich. 

 Chma,p. 216; Jerdon M J. L and Sc. 1861, p. 142; Gunther, Catal. ii, p. 177; Day, Fishes of Malabar, 

 p. 43; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 121 ; Klunz. Verb. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1870, p. 816. 



Batrachus Indians, Bl. Schn, p. 43. 



Platycephalus spatula, Bl. Schn. p. 59. 



Galliomorus Indians, Lacep. ii, p. 343. 



GoUus Madagascariensis, Lacep. iu, p. 248, t. xi, f. 12 ; Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 261 pi 37 



Oalhomorus chaca. Ham. Buch. pp. 133, 373. 



Platyc^halns endrachtensis,Q,uoj and Gaim.' Voy. Freyc. Zool. p. 353 ; Cuv. and Val. iv, p 240. 



.'' riatyaephahis cultellatus, Richards. Ich. China, p. 217. 



Platycephalus chacca. Gray and Hard. Ind. Zool.' ii, pi. 93, f. 2. 



Irrwa, Tel. . Ool-pa-thy, Tam. . Nga-paying-M, Mugh. : A-ra-wud-dah or Ghou-ur-dah, And 



B. vii, D. 1 I 7 1 13, P. 17, V 1/6, A. 13, C. 16, L. r. 1|^1«, L. ta-. 12/24, Case. Pyl. 14, Vert. 12/15. 



6i to 7 iSic^l Sl.^'l?^'^''^ 7, height of body 7 in the total length. :E72,e.-superior, diameter 

 ^J 7 m length of head, H diameters from end of snout, and 2 apart. Held strongly depressed its upper 



S^^dSis nw's^f^;V^'P';^ t"' """^^ '^r "^^^ fr°^ °- preopercular s?LK fellow, S 

 ol head at this place 3/4 of its length. Lower jaw shghtly the longer : the mTxiUa reaches to below the middle 



