252 REPORT — 1845. 



Ophicephalus miliaris, C. et V. vii. p. 439. 



Also described from a Chinese painting. 

 Hab. Canton. 



Ophicephalus argus, Cantor, Ann. Nat. History, ix. p. 29. "Bad. B.5; 

 D.49; A. 33; C. 14; P. 16; V. 1|5" (Cantor). 



" Brownish-green back and sides, reddish-white abdomen ; numerous black ocellated spots 

 edged with -white above the lateral line; fins yellow, spotted with black." — Cantor. 



Hab. Chusan. Streamlets and estuaries. 



Ophicephalus grandinosus, C. et V. vii. p. 434. 



Described from a painting executed at Canton. 

 Hab. Canton. 



Ophicephalus oculatus, Lacepede (Bostrycho'ides), iii. p. 144 et 145. 

 Ophicephalus ocellatus, C. et V. vii. p. 454. 



This species is very imperfectly known, and only from a Chinese painting. 

 Hab. China. 



Ophicephalus puticola, Icon. Reeves, 142 ; Hardw. 248. Chinese name, 

 Tsing hung yu, " Well kung yu " (Reeves) ; Ching hung u (Bridgem. 

 Chrest. 245). 



As most of the Chinese Ophicephali have been described from drawings only, and the colours 

 appear to vary with age and season, it is probable that there has been an undue multiplication 

 of species ; and the drawing now quoted may eventually prove to be referrible to the same 

 species with Lacepede's oculatus, but his figure differs in form, and it is impossible to reconcile 

 the two in the present state of our knowledge of the ichthyology of Canton. 



Mr. Reeves's drawing of puticola presents a light oil-green colour along the back, gradually 

 passing on the sides and belly into peach-blossom red ; a pale apple-green bar deeper towards 

 its edges covers the temples and operculum ; and there are about eleven blackish-green bars 

 on the sides, bent backwards en chevron in the middle, and fading away towards the belly. 

 On the scaly base of the tail, above its middle, there is a round spot of the same blackish-green 

 hue. The head behind the eyes, the whole of the sides, the lower half of the dorsal, and the 

 basal half of the caudal, are thickly spotted with points and small lines of sienna-yellow. All 

 the fins are broadly bordered with blackish-gray, the basal halves of the anal and dorsal being 

 ochraceous, and of the pectorals and caudal approaching to hyacinth-red. The tubular mar- 

 gins of the anterior nasal openings are represented as unusually long; the caudal as much 

 rounded, and the length as equal to six times and one-half the height of the body. D. 43; 

 A. 34, &c. Length of figure 9% inches. 



Hab. Canton. 



Ophicephalus jovis, Icon. Reeves, 143 ; Hardw. 249. Chinese name, 

 Luy hung yu, "Thunder king's fish" (Birch, Reeves); Lui hung u 

 (Bridgem. Chrest. 246). 



As the young of Oph. marulius differs very greatly from the adult in its colours, so it is not 

 impossible but this may be the young of the preceding. Its different Chinese designation, 

 however, and very different tints of colour, induce us to name it as distinct. 



The body is marked by ten or eleven blackish-green waved and forked bands, alternating 

 with as many arterial blood-red ones ; the two colours being about equal in quantity, either 

 may be considered as the ground one. The top of the head is dark green ; a dark green 

 stripe which runs backwards from the eye and spreads over the gill-cover, is traversed part 

 of the way by two red bars ; and there is a red spot near the tip of the gill-flap. Some yel- 

 low points are scattered on the side of the head and along the flanks, but not nearly so copi- 

 ously as in puticola. The caudal, dorsal and pectorals are broccoli-brown, without bars or spots. 

 The anal is yellowish-brown at the base, marked along its middle by a narrow white riband, 

 which is shaded above by blackish-gray passing into white, and finally, the edge of the fin is 

 bluish-gray. The anterior nostrils are tubular, but the tubes are scarcely so long as those of 

 puticola. The form of the fish otherwise is much the same as in that species. Length of 

 figure nearly 6 inches. 



Hab. Canton. 



