158 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



and Gaimard, but in that the dorsal fin is said to extend to the caudal,* which is 

 far from being the case here. I have named it velutinus, in respect of the minute 

 bristles which cover the skin, somewhat resembling the pile of velvet. 



OSTRACION PUNCTATUS. Scfal. 



L'Ostracion pointille, Lacep. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. torn. i. p. 455. pi. 21. fig. I. 

 Ostracion punctatus, Schneid. Syst. Ichth. p. 501. 

 Meleagris, Shaw, Nat. Misc. pi. 253. 



This well-marked species of Ostracion, first describ ed by Lacepede from 

 Commerson's MSS., and afterwards figured by Shaw, in his "Naturalist's Mis- 

 cellany," under the name of O. Meleagris, was obtained by Mr. Darwin at Tahiti, 

 where it had been previously observed by Captain Cook. 



There are two specimens in the collection, both exactly similar, and of the 

 same size, measuring a trifle more than three inches and a half in length. They 

 also accord well with Shaw's figure. Lacepede, in his description, speaks of the 

 anal fin as being more extended than the dorsal, and as having eleven rays ; but 

 in both Mr. Darwin's specimens, I find the number of rays in these two fins the 

 same. The formula is as follows : 



D. 9; A. 9; C. 8 ; P. 10. 



Schneider has noticed this species twice ; first under the name of lentiginosus, 

 and again under that of punctatus. 



* This character, though mentioned in the description, is not, however, represented in the figure. See 

 Freycinet's Voyage (Zoologie), pi. 47. f. 2. 



