FISHES. 3 



APISTES MULTICOLOR, Richardson. 



Radii.— B. 6 ; D. 15)6 ; A. 3|4 ; C. lOf ; P. 11 ; V. 1|4. 



Plate IV. Fig. 3-4. 



In this Apistes the profile of the face is steep with an abrupt curve over the eye to join 

 the dorsal line, which descends gradually from its summit at the temple to the tail. The 

 height of the body is equal to one quarter of the total length of the fish, and its thickness is 

 equal to the sixth of the same length. The head forms a third of the whole length, the 

 mouth is at its extremity, the jaws being equal, and the gape, which is small, is nearly 

 horizontal. The ventral line is more horizontal than the dorsal one, being even with the 

 lower jaw as far as the anus, from whence it ascends to the base of the caudal, whose height 

 is about one third of the height of the head. The edges of the orbits and two smooth ridges 

 between them are equally prominent and equidistant. The interorbitar space is one third nar- 

 rower than the diameter of the eye. The jaws, prominent chevron of the vomer and palatine 

 bones are set with close-shaven, villiform teeth. 



The slender, acute preorbitar spine reaches back to the posterior part of the eye, and 

 there is a spinule at its base in front standing forwards and outwards. The axilla of the spine 

 is filled by a small slip of membrane. The opercidar spine, though conspicuous, is not so 

 long as the preorbitar one. There are four obtuse points beneath it. The operculum has 

 two bony ridges whose points do not penetrate the skin. The scales of the body are small 

 and the lateral line is formed of oblique tubes whose points are elevated. The last three 

 dorsal spines are grooved at their tips so as to appear forked, and the same is the case with 

 the anal spines. The spines are tipped by short skinny filaments, and the membrane 

 is deeply notched between them. The last soft ray of the dorsal is attached to the back by 

 membrane for nearly its whole length, and is divided to the base. The lowest ray of the 

 pectoral is uubranched, the rest are forked. The ventral contains only four slender soft rays, 

 the last of which is bound to the belly by a rather wide membrane. 



The two specimens in the collection retain several lively colours, chiefly different 

 shades of brown, red, and white ; but there is considerable difference in the mode in which 

 these tints are combined in the two individuals. Each of them has three conspicuous, 

 lateral, white marks ; viz., one on the fore part of the dorsal near its base, which descends from 

 the third spine to the shoulder, another on the back under the last spine, and the third 

 forming a bar which extends from the soft dorsal to the anal. The head is marbled like the 

 back. The dorsal and anal are edged with aurora-red, and are dotted posteriorly with 

 oblique rows of small white specks having broken black borders. On the fore part of the 

 spinous dorsal the black, separating from the white centres, forms short oblique lines. Specks 

 of the same kind are ranged in transverse lines on the caudal and pectorals. The ventrals are 

 minutely freckled with brown and black, and are marked also by two or three white spots. 

 Length, three or four inches. 



Hab. Sea of China. 



