1028 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Oct. 



spots on the fins ; on the caudal three large such bordering the margin ; 

 from the root of the pectoral to the gill-opening two rose-coloured irre- 

 gular bands edged with black ; a similar angular spot behind the eye, 

 and some similar bars radiating over the iris ; the latter with a narrow 

 golden circle round the pupil. 



D 13/11, CI If, A 2/8, V 1/5, P 11, Br. VI. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang. 



Total length, 3^ inch. 



The form of the body is broad lanceolate, with the sides highly 

 compressed. The profile of the forehead ascends nearly vertically, 

 from thence the back forms an arch ascending to the sixth dorsal 

 spine, when it gradually descends towards the tail ; the profile of 

 the abdomen is a little less arched than the back. The length of the 

 head is 3f of the total. The eye is placed high on the head ; the 

 vertical diameter of the orbit, slightly exceeding the horizontal, is J- 

 of the length of the head ; the distance of the orbit from the 

 back, or the root of the anterior dorsal spine is ^ of the diameter 

 of the orbit. The anterior, moveable, infraorbital bone carries two 

 blunt spines of which the superior, the longer, scarcely projects 

 beyond the middle of the orbit : both are directed backwards and down- 

 wards. The posterior infraorbital is immoveable, and has but two very 

 minute spines. The rounded preopercle carries four distant, flattened 

 spines : the two lower ones are very minute, the two upper hardly ex- 

 tend beyond the anterior third of the opercle. The opercle terminates 

 above in a flat membranous point, below which appear two oblique 

 long ridges. There appears to be but a single nasal opening which 

 is a small tube, situated in front of the lower part of the eye. The 

 small oblique mouth scarcely reaches the level of the anterior orbital 

 margin. The velvety teeth (PI. XIII. Fig. 2,J are placed in both jaws 

 on a crescent-shaped band ; that of the upper is divided under the sym- 

 physis by a naked linear interval, behind which appears a minute fleshy 

 tubercle. On the vomer appears a small crescent of velvety teeth. 

 But the palatals are toothless. The tongue resembles that organ of 

 Prosopodasys trachinoides and CorythobafMS woora : it is moveable, 

 fleshy, rounded, and occupies nearly the whole cavity. The greatest 

 vertical diameter, at the root of the pectoral, equals the length of the 

 head, the greatest thickness is 2\ of the former diameter. The dorsal 



