70 



TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTEETGII. 



fourth spines the highest ; rays not so high as spines ; anal spines 

 with a deep notch in the membrane separating them from the rays. 

 Colour bluish along upper half of body, becoming dirty brown on 

 the abdomen ; several irregular rows of yellowish blotches along 



Fig. 28. Micropus zeylonicus. 



the back and sides, separated by a darker reticulation ; fins light- 

 coloured, caudal marked like sides of body. 



Hal. Malabar and Ceylon; the largest obtained was 2 inches in 

 length. 



10. Genus MINOUS, Cuv. & Val. 

 Syn. Corythobatus, sp., Cantor. 



Branchiostegals seven. Head large, body rather compressed ; a 

 groove across occiput. Preorbital with a strong spine, preopercle 

 likewise spinate ; opercle armed. Villiform teeth on jaws and 

 voiner, palatines edentulous. A single dorsal fin with about the 

 same number of spines as rays ; anal spines, if present, badly deve- 

 loped ; pectoral with a free ray at its base. Articulated fin-rays 

 single, unbranched. Scales absent. Caeca! appendages few. (A 

 cleft behind the fourth gill.) 



815. (1.) Minous monodactylus. (Fig. 29.) 



Scorprena monodactyla, El. Sc/m. Si/st. Icli. p. ] 94. 

 Minous monodactylus, Day, Fish. India, p. 159, pi. xxxviii, fig. 7 

 (see syuon.). 



Fig. 29. Hfinous monodactylus. 

 Dhoma, Marat hi; Cul-plaachee, Tarn. 



