1344 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Dec. 



\ to j of the former ; the succeeding rays gradually decrease in length, 

 the last one varying from J to J of the second ; the connecting mem- 

 brane is a little shorter than the spines ; the extent of the anterior 

 dorsal slightly exceeds \ of the distance from the first spine to the first 

 ray of the posterior dorsal, which varies from £ of to 5£ times in the total 

 length. The posterior dorsal is low, gradually rising from the first, 

 undivided, ray to the sixth, and then slowly decreasing ; the longest ray- 

 is If diameter of the eye ; the extent of the fin nearly equals the length 

 of the head ; the distance from the root of the upper ray of the caudal 

 varies from f to -J of the extent. The anal is falcated ; it commences 

 opposite the 9th or 10th ray of the posterior dorsal, and terminates op- 

 posite the last ray ; the first ray is undivided, -J of the second, the 

 longest, which varies from 1 J to 2 diameters of the eye ; the succeed- 

 ing rays suddenly decrease to the 11th or 12th, from whence the re- 

 maining rays are but £ of the longest. The anus is situated immediately 

 in front of the fin. The caudal is deeply divided in two pointed, or a 

 little rounded lobes, of which the upper one is generally the longer, 

 equalling the extent of the posterior dorsal. The pectorals are round- 

 ed, their length varying from If to two diameters of the eye ; they are 

 placed immediately behind the gill-opening, opposite the first dorsal and 

 the ventral spines, but nearer the latter. These spines are as strong, and 

 rough as the first dorsal, but shorter, their length varying from £ to a 

 little more than \ of the head ; each is attached by a short thick rough 

 membrane to its respective groove on each side of the very elongated, 

 flattened pelvic spine, which is covered with little scales, not different 

 from those of the rest of the body. The latter are very small, sub- 

 rhomboidal with the vertical diameter much longer than the horizontal. 

 Each scale (Plate IX. Fig. 3. Magnified.) carries a single vertically placed 

 crest, which is armed with from 4 to 15 excessively minute spines. The 

 skin is rough to the touch in every direction. The hair-like lateral line 

 commences behind the orbit, describing a wide arch which terminates op- 

 posite the posterior third of the posterior dorsal, from whence it proceeds 

 in the middle of the side of the tail to the caudal. At its origin the line 

 gives off the following branches ; a vertical, anastomosing in front of 

 the dorsal spine with the one from the opposite side ; a second along 

 the supraorbital margin, in front of the nostril, along the profile to the 

 muzzle ; a third along the infraorbital margin, obliquely undulating over 



