4:18 APPENDIX. 



The second isolated process, -which in the last is a short ray provided 

 with a basai membrane, assumes in this species the form of an " oval prickle 

 pointing backwards J " while " another similar prickle " is placed between 

 the two dorsal fins. This spine or prickle exists also in Z). Chinensis, but 

 does not appear either in the figure or description of M. Cuvier's orientalis. 

 Dr. Rus^el' observes, that the ansl fin is oppo-ite to the second dorsal, and 

 Las sis " ramose " rays ; but whether these rays are also branched in the 

 orientalis does not appear from the description ; the first, or soft dorsal ray, 

 which in the last is very long, is in this only about an inch in length. The 

 colour is dark red, with some round spots of dusky green ; the sides lighter 

 red, and the belly white; the dorsal, pectoral, and caudal fins have also 

 dark green spots. The usual length is about 11 inches. 



DACTYLOPTERUS Chinensis. 



Pectoral fins sliorter than the hase of the caudal ; sub- 

 orbital bone with the inferior margin crenated^ with 

 six stronger spines at the end ; sides of the tail with 

 two crenated ridges more prominent than the others ; 

 anal rays sunple.* 



I sjround my belief that this is a distinct species from the orientalis of 

 Cuvier, on account of his having expressly stated that his fish has " Le 

 bord inferior de son sous-orbitaire n'a pas de dents en scie ;" and that 

 '• there is only one series of carinated scales, more elevated than the 

 others, on the sides of the tail." Neither of these peculiarities, as will be 

 seen by the above specific character, belong to a specimen now before me, 

 ■which was in a box of Chinese dried fishes and crabs. I do not lay so 

 much stress upon the much shorter length of the first detached ray of the 

 dorsal and of the pectoral fins in this, than in the orientalis of Cuvier, be- 

 cause, although I believe the latter, in my specimen, is quite perfect, and 

 the first is but very slightly broken, yet these minor differences will require 

 further verification ; but, on the structure of the sub-orbital bone, and of 

 the two carinated ridges on each side the tail, there can be no mistake ; for 

 it is impossible to suppose MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes to be in error on 

 two such plain matters of fact. The inter-dorsal spine, or that between the 

 two dorsil fins, which seems common to the greater number of this genus, 

 is very strong in this, but is neither seen in their figure (pi. 76.), or men- 

 tioned in the description of orientalis. In the number of the rays in the 

 dorsal and anal fins the two species agree; those of the ventral, caudal, and 

 pectoral, are always liable to be miscounted in dried specimens. 



The situation of the dorsal fins and of the two detached rays before them, 

 are the same in this and in orientalis,h\it. there are some minor diflTerences 

 in the relative distances of the rays (presuming that M. Cuvier's figure of 

 orientalis is correct), which it may be as well to notice. A groove extends 

 from the top of the liead to the inter-dorsal spine, which groove is margined 

 on each side by a line of prickles more developed than those on the sides 

 beneath. The fir^t detached dorsal ray, when depressed, reaches only to 

 the base of the first dorsal fin ; and the second detached ray is so short, that 

 the spinous part does not reach so far as tlie last : but it is clear that both 

 theie rays end in soft filamer.ts, besides being furnished with a short mem- 

 brane, v.'hich connects each to the back. The first ray of the first dorsal fin 

 ia the longest, the two next being nearly of the same length, but the two 

 last are mucli i>horter and considerably wider apart : the last of these 

 appear to be forked, and it reaches just to the base of the inter-dorsal spine : 

 the tliree last rays of the second dorsal are also forked; but whether the 

 five first are equally so camiot be determined, as they are injured. The 



^ * The penultimate ray, iu my specimen, ii broken j the rest are simple. 



