272 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Antennarius hispidus, Cantor, Catal. p. 203 ; Bleeker, Moluk. p. 280, and Atl. Icli. v, p. 14, t. cxciv, f. 2, 

 and cxcviii, f. 1 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 189. 



B. vi, D. 3 | 12, P. 10, V. 5, A. 7, C. 9. 



Mouth subvertical, lower jaw a little compressed, the width of the gape of the mouth exceeding that of 

 the cleft. Eyes — high up, from 2 to 2-1- diameters from end of snout. Teeth — cardiform in both jaws and on the 

 palatines. Fins — first dorsal spine about as long as the second, and ending in fleshy knob, second about as long 

 as the third, and each with a skinny flap posteriorly, that from the third nearly or quite joining the second dorsal 

 fin, the last three rays of which latter fin are branched. Pectoral and ventral rays unbranched. Last six anal 

 rays branched, as are also those of the caudal. Scales — skin universally roughened, with spinate points 

 extending over the fins, except some of the rays of the pectoral, ventral, and caudal. Lateral-line — ceases below 

 middle of second dorsal. Colours — yellow, with brown spots and streaks, some radiating from the eye, others 

 descending from the back and many down the sides. Small ones and blotches or spots on the fins. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



2. Antennarius nummifer, Plate LIX, fig. 2. 



Chironectes nummifer, Cuv. Mem. Mus. iii. p. 430, pi. xvii, fig. 4 ; Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 425 ; Riipp. N. W. 

 Fische, p. 141. 



? Chironectes chlorostigma, (Ehrenb.) Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 421. 



Antennarius nummifer, Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 195 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 121 ; Bleeker, Atl. Ich. v, 

 p. 18, t. 198, f. 2 ; Klunz. Verb. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1871, p. 499. 



B. vi, D. 3 | 12, P. 10-13, V. 5, A. 7, C. 9. 



Mouth almost vertical, with the lower jaw compressed towards its- extremity, the width of the gape 

 equalling the extent of the cleft. Length of lower jaw equals the length of the third sjDine of the dorsal fin. 

 Eye — high up, but little more than 1 diameter from end of snout. Teeth — cardiform in both jaws and on the 

 palatines. Fins — first dorsal spine not quite so long as the second, and ending in a fringed extremity, second 

 rather above 1/2 as long as third, which latter has a flap of skin posteriorly, which does not extend so far as to 

 the base of the second dorsal, the last two rays of which are divided at their outer extremities. Pectoral with 

 13 unbranched rays. Ventral with five unbranched rays. Anal, commencing under middle of second dorsal, has 

 branched rays, its last just reaches the base of the caudal. Caudal rounded, its rays branched : last dorsal rays 

 just reach the base of the caudal fin. Scales — skin universally roughened, with points extending over fins except 

 some of the rays of the pectoral, ventral, and caudal. Lateral-line — ceases below the commencement of the 

 second dorsal. Colours — grayish-brown, having a purplish tinge : a black ocellus having a yellow edge behind 

 and above the end of the base of the pectoral fin. Fins yellow, the dorsal with a black yellow-edged ocellus 

 below its seventh and eighth rays, its end with black bands and spots, as have also the pectoral, ventral, caudal, 

 and anal fins. Tongue whitish, with green marks : eyes golden. 



Bleeker, also Giinther in Catal. ii, p. 195, give P. 10 to this species. Playfair, in the " Fishes of Zanzi- 

 bar," states 12. I find 13 in the Madras species, this variation has already been referred to (p. 271). 



Habitat. — Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. Grows 

 to at least 6£ inches in length. The one figured (life-size) is from Madras. 



3. Antennarius marmoratus. 



Lophius histrio, var. marmoratus, Bl. Schn. p. 142. 



Chironectes Icevigatus, Cuv. Mem. Mus. iii, p. 423, pi. xvi, f. 1 ; Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 399. 



Lophius geographicus, Quoy and Gaim. Voy. Uranie, i, p. 355, pi. 65, f. 3. 



Chironectes marmoratus, Less. Voy. Coq. Zool. ii, p. 145, Poiss. pi. xvi, f. 2 ; Cuv. and Val. xii,. p. 402 ; 

 Tern, and Schleg. Fauna Japon. Poissons, p. 159, pi. 81, f. 1. 



Chironectes pictus, Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 393, pi. 364. 



Chironectes tumidus, Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 397. 



Chironectes nesogallicus, Cuv. and Val. xii, p. 401. 



Antennarius nitidus, Bennett, Zool. Journ. iii, p. 375, t. ix, f. 2. 



Chironectes pictus, var. vittatus, Richards. Voy. Ereb. and Terr. Fishes, p. 15, pi. ix, f. 3, 4. 



Lophius histrio, Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 48 (not syn.). 



Antennarius marmoratus, Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 185 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 121 ; Bleeker, Atl. Ich. v,- 

 p. 23, t. 198, f. 4, t. 199, fig. 1 (see synonyms) ; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 192. 



B. vi, D. 3 | 12, P. 9-10, V. 5, C. 9, A. 7, Vert. 9/9. 



The variations in this species due to age or locality are so considerable that two specimens are very 

 rarely found possessing complete similarity. Eyes — .about 1 diameter from end of snout. The skin may 

 be smooth, minutely or distinctly granulated, whilst the length of the third dorsal spine varies from 

 one-half to less than one-third of the height of the body. The anterior dorsal spine is short, slender, and 

 terminating in a small knob having a minute tentacle attached to it, sometimes it is very short, or it may be 

 entirely absent, the second and third spines are fringed on their summits. The last two dorsal rays branched, 

 the last if laid backwards extends to or slightly beyond the root of the caudal. Skin usually smooth 

 or sometimes granular, rarely rough. Head and body with cutaneous tentacles,- those at the angle of the 

 mouth and on the abdomen being the largest. Stomach a large sac, Air-vessel— large and simple. Colours — 



