204 ' report — 1845. 



rays and valves of the sucking apparatus, which I have found however to vary as widely 

 among individuals from the same locality, so that the ray-formula might be given as D. 2|33 to 

 38 ; A. 2)32 to 38 ; Discal valves 23 to 26. A young Chinese specimen which was presented 

 to the British Museum by Mr. Reeves, has the following numbers: Br. 9; D. 2|38; C. 17 ; 

 P. 21 ; V. 1|5 ; Discal valves 24. It agrees with a specimen of the same size in the same mu- 

 seum which was captured at Tenasserim. Dr. Ruppell observes, that the many individuals 

 which he had an opportunity of observing in the Red sea presented constant differences in the 

 numbers of the fin-rays and in colour from the Atlantic fish. In regard to the latter, I have 

 stated above the variations of the rays that exist in the few specimens furnished by the museum 

 at Haslar; and in respect to colour, I may add that the patterns they present appear to be 

 infinite. I have seen on the western coast of Africa some hundreds attached to the bottom of 

 a ship, and darting off in a dense body to partake of the washings of the cook's coppers or any 

 other greasy matter that was thrown overboard. All had, it is true, a very disagreeable- 

 looking livid ground colour and a dark band on the cheek more or less extensively prolonged 

 on the flanks, but the rest of the dark marks seemed to be alike in no two individuals. Spe- 

 cimens 6 or 8 inches long have a trapezoidal caudal fin, but when they attain 18 inches or 

 more the end of the fin is lunate, and the curve seemingly increases in older individuals, as it 

 is pretty considerable in a specimen 2^ feet long. 



Hab. Seas of China, the Malay archipelago, Australia, Polynesia and India. The Red sea 

 and the Atlantic on both sides. 



Fam. Cyclopterid^. 



Gobiesox tudes, Richardson, Ichth, of Voy. of Sulph. p. 103. pi 46. f. 1-3. 

 Hab. China seas ? Spec, in Sir E. Belcher's collection. 



Fam. Gobiid^. 

 Forster, in his * Faunula Sinensis/ which comprehends the discoveries of 

 preceding ichthyologists, enumerates only four members of this family, under 

 the names of Gobius niger (Osbeck), G. eleotris, G. anguillaris, and G. pec- 

 tinirostris (L.). These will be noticed under their respective heads. 



Gobius fasciato-punctatus, Richardson, Ichth. of the Voy. of the Sul- 

 phur, p. 145. pi. 62. f. 13, 14; Descript. of Anim. p. 148. fig. 98. Icon. 

 Reeves, 146 ; Hardw. Acanth. 278. Mus. Brit. Chinese name, Sun hong 

 (Reeves). Rad. D.6|-l|9; A.l|8; C. 19 ; P. 17 ; V. 1|5-1|5, united. 



This species belongs to a group of Gobies which have the depressed head and general 

 aspect of Philypnus dormitator, and is very nearly allied to Gobius russelii (C. etV. 12. p. 75). 

 It strongly resembles G. kokius, pi. 14. f. 1. of Jacquemont, Voy. dans l'Inde, which may be 

 the same, though there are some differences. A specimen was presented to the British Mu- 

 seum by John Reeves, Esq., and there are examples of it in the Chinese collection at Hyde 

 Park and in the museum of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 



Hab. Canton. Runs with great swiftness over the paddy-grounds at Whampoa. 



Gobius chinensis, Osbeck, p. 260, Trad. Allem. G. eleotris, Lin. ed. xii. 

 in Chin. Sinn-haoo (Hist, de Poiss. xii. p. 138) ; Icon. Reeves, f. 89. 

 « Bad. B. 5 ; D. 6|-11 ; A. 8 ; C. 12 ; P. 18 ; V. 8, united." The Chinese 

 name is written Sinn-has in the English translation, ii. p. 32. 



In Mr. Reeves's drawing the back is mottled blackish-green, with clusters of grass-green 

 and golden specks on the sides. The belly is grayish and silvery, the pectorals clay-coloured, 

 the ventrals blackish- gray, and the vertical fins hair-brown, with two darker bars on the 

 second dorsal. 



Hab. Macao. 



Gobius platycephalus, Richardson. Icon. Reeves, 1. 94. Rad. D. 6|-9 ; 

 A. 1|9 ; P. 15 ; C. 25. (Spec. Cam. Ph. Inst.) 



A single specimen of a Goby, not in very good condition, exists in the museum of the 

 Cambridge Philosophical Institution, having been brought from China by the Rev. George 

 Vachell. It belongs to the group of kokius, but I have not been able to identify it with any 

 of those described in the ' Histoire des Poissons.' It has a depressed head with the eyes almost 

 touching, an advancing lower jaw and a rounded caudal. Teeth setaceous, not crowded, 

 and disposed much like those of a Serranus. The outer row on the lower jaw is composed of 

 somewhat taller recurved ones. Four of the very short upper and under caudal rays appear 



