1026 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Oct. 



seasons. It is a very bony fish, and the flesh is said to be insipid. 

 It preys on small Crustacea. 



Gen. Prosopodasys,* Cantor. 

 (Equivalent to Apistus, Cuvier.) 

 Differs from Scorpcena in having fewer pectoral rays and all branch- 

 ed, a long moveable spine on the infraorbital bone, and a similar on 

 the preopercle. 



Prosopodasys trachinoides, (Cuv. and Val.) 



Apistns trachinoides, Cuv. and Val. IV. 401, PI. 92. Fig. 1. 



Trichosomus trachinoides, Swainson, Nat. Hist. Fish. II. 265. f 



Apistus trachinoides, Richardson, Rep. 1845, 213. 



Apistus trachinoides, Richardson, Voy. Samarang, Fishes, PI. III. 



Fig. 3—5. 



Apistus trachinoides, Bleeker, Verh. Bat. Gen. XXII. 8. 



Head above and back blackish brown ; sides and abdomen pale 

 neutral tint ; membrane of the dorsal fin pale bluish grey with four 

 large oblique blackish bands, between which some oblique pale brownish 

 lines ; anal and ventrals pale-bluish grey, the former with larger 

 oblique black bands, between which some pale brownish oblique lines ; 

 the posterior half of the latter blackish ; caudal yellowish white, minutely 

 dotted with brown and with a black vertical band at the root, and one 

 or two vertical series of black spots near the posterior margin ; pecto- 

 rals pale neutral tint largely spotted with blackish brown. Iris golden 

 flesh-colour, minutely dotted with black. 



D 14 or 15/5, C 12f, A 3/4, V 1/5, P 12, 13 or 14, Br. VI. 



Habit. — Sea and estuaries of Pinang, Singapore. 



Java, Madura, Sea of China. 

 Total length, 3J inch. 



The fish is numerous at all seasons. It is capable of living a con- 

 siderable time out of its element. It is applied as manure, but not eaten. 



* Up6(TuiT0Vy mask ; Saabs, rough. Substituted for Apistus Cuvier, 1829, pre- 

 occupied by Apistis (Scr. Apistus,) Hiibner 1816 (Lepidopt.) 



-}• Trichosomus, in itself inadmissible, is not equivalent to Apistus, Cuv. 



