TJBANOSCOPIDjE. 217 



990. (1.) Uranoscopns gnttatus. (Fig. 77.) 



Uranoscopus guttatus, Cuv. fy Val. H. N. Poiss. Hi, p. 305 ; Day, 

 Fish. India, p. 260, pi. Iv, tig. 4 (see synon.). 



D. 4-5/12-13. P. 17. A. 13. C. 13. 



Length of head 3| to 3|, height of body 4 to 4| in the total 

 length. Eyes | diameter from end of snout and 1| apart. 

 Greatest width of head rather exceeds its height. Lips with a nar- 

 row fringe; nostrils situated in front of the centre of the eye. 

 Four to seven spines along lower edge of preopercle, and one on 

 subopercle. Two large spines on shoulder-bone, the lower the 

 larger and as long as 2 diameters of orbit. Posterior border of 

 occiput with one central and on each side two little bony lobes, the 

 posterior lateral lobes with one or two spines. Bones of the head 

 roughened. Fins dorsal spines weak, first longest, but only f as 

 high as soft dorsal. Caudal rather rounded. Scales present on 



Fig. 77. Uranoscoptis guttatus. 



body, except above first part of lateral line, and on breast and 

 chest to commencement of anal ; they are not imbricate but are 

 covered by skin, and in rows bounded by muciferous channels. 

 Lateral line from shoulder to base of second dorsal, along which 

 it is continued, it has a few rounded scales above it behind base of 

 second dorsal spine. Colour chestnut or slaty brown, with two 

 or three rows of bluish- white spots along the back and halfway 

 down the sides. First dorsal pure white, with its upper two thirds 

 black, from the first to midway between the third and fourth 

 spines, or in large examples to the fourth ; second dorsal black 

 along the upper two thirds ; caudal with a wide vertical black 

 baud covering its middle third ; anal white with a black base ; 

 pectoral dark, its lower margin edged with white. 



Hab. Seas of India, said to attain a foot in length ; I have ob- 

 tained it from Madras up to 10 inches in length. 



2. Genus ICHTHYSCOPUS, Swainsou. 



Syn. Uranoscopus, sp., Cuv. & Val. ; UpseJonphorus, Gill ; Kathe- 

 tostoma and Anenm, Giinther (=Genyaynus, Gill, =Gnathagnus ) Gill, 

 Lynnema, Haast); Astrocopus, Brev. ( = Agnus, Giinther). 



Branch iostegals six ; pseudobranchia). Body somewhat cylin- 

 drical. Head large, broad, and partly covered with bony plates. 



