276 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTEEYGII. 



Length of head 7, of caudal fin 3, height of body 11 to 13 in the 

 total length. Eyes diameter 6 to 7 in length of head, about 1 

 diam. from end of snout, and g apart. Width of head equals half 

 its length and its height equals its length behind the eyes. Cleft 

 of mouth deep, extending at least 1 diameter beyond the orbit. 

 Teeth from 20 to 28, pointed, in either ramus of lower jaw, the 

 outermost recurved; a rather large number, also pointed, in 

 upper jaw ; a pair of small canines, internally, above rnandibular 

 symphysis. Fins dorsals continuous at their bases, spines of 

 first dorsal with filamentous prolongations, but not much higher 

 than second ; last dorsal ray extends to base of caudal. Pectoral 

 of equal length with ventral. Caudal pointed and very elongate. 

 Scales in irregular rows, very small anterior to dorsal fin, becoming 

 larger posteriorly. Colour greyish, lighter towards the abdomen, 

 with badly defined oblique bands passing downwards and forwards 

 from base of dorsal fin halfway to abdomen. Ventral whitish. 

 Pectoral, anal, first and second dorsal whitish, externally stained with 

 grey, sometimes spotted with brown; usually a black spot sur- 

 rounded by a yellow ring on the last few dorsal rays. The inside 

 of the mouth with black spots. 



Hob. Seas and estuaries of India, attaining 7 inches in length. 



1067. (3.) Apocryptes bleekeri. 



Apocryptes bleekeri, Day, Fish. India, p. 300, pi. Ixiv, fig. 3 (see synon.). 

 B.iv. D.6/22-25. P.19. V.l/5. A.22-23. C.13. L. 1. 55-60. L. tr. 13. 

 Length of head 4J to 5, of caudal fin 5 to 5|, height of body 7 to 8 

 in the total length. Eyes diameter 5 to 6 in length of head, 1 to 

 1| diam. from end of snout, and apart ; interorbital space con- 

 cave. Greatest width of head equals half its length and its height 

 equals its length behind the eyes. Snout somewhat compressed, 

 cleft of mouth nearly horizontal ; maxilla reaches about one or two 

 diameters of orbit behind posterior edge of eye. Teeth 25 to 30 

 teeth, notched at their extremities, in anterior half of lower jaw on 

 either side; 15 or 20 pointed ones on either side of the premaxi'llaries, 

 extending further backwards than in the mandibles and not placed 

 so closely together. Fins fast dorsal higher than second, and from 

 s height of body to equally high, the membrane of first dorsal 

 extends to second, which fin is higher than the anal. Ventral 

 reaches nearly halfway to the anal. Caudal pointed. Scales 

 cycloid and arranged in regular rows, largest in the posterior 

 portion of the body, they extend on to the head. Colour greyish 

 or olive-brown, with five light brown spots along the sides, usually 

 forming bands over the back ; numerous fine dots over the head 

 and body. Pectoral deep olive or nearly black, with a white lower 

 eoge. jjirst dorsal mostly with a dark mark in its upper fourth 

 >etween its third and fifth spines. Second dorsal and caudal with 

 some rows of fine dots. Ventrals white 



