CALLIONYHID.E. 303 



1. Genus CALLIONYMUS, Linnams. 

 Syn. Syne&iroptu and Diplogrammus, Gill. 



Branchiostegals five -or six: pseudobranchiae ; a slit behind the 

 fourth gill. Gill-openings very narrow, sometimes merely a round 

 hole at the upper edge of the opercle. Head and anterior portion 

 of body depressed. Eyes of moderate size, usually directed some- 

 what upwards. Mouth narrow, upper jaw protractile. A strong, 

 variously armed spine at the angle of the preopercle. Teeth in 

 jaws minute. Two dorsal fins, the anterior consisting of three or 

 four flexible spines ; ventrals with five rays, widely separated one 

 from the other. Lateral line single or double. 



Geoyrapliical Distribution. These fishes, termed " Dragonets," 

 live mostly at the bottom of the sea near the shore. They are found 

 in the temperate seas of the Old World, and distributed through- 

 out the seas of India and the Indo-Pacific region. They exhibit 

 in many instances sexual distinctions either in length of fins or in 

 colour, or in both. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



A. Gill opening small, superior. 



Height of body 12 times in total 



length 1. C. longicaudatus, p. 303. 



Height of body 9 times in total length 2. C. sayitta, p. 304. 

 Height of body 7 times in total length 3. C.fluviatilis, p. 304. 



B. Gill-opening dilated, lateral. 



. First dorsal much higher than body. 



A. 7-8 4. C. lineolatus, p. 305. 



A. 12 5. C. onentalis, p. 305. 



b. First dorsal half height of body .... 6. C. opercularis, p. 300. 



1109. (1.) Callionynms longicaudatus. 



Callionymus longicaudatus, Temm. $ Schleg. Faun. Japon., Poiss. 

 p. 15"l, pi. Ixxviii, figs. 1 & 2, and pi. Ixxix A, fig. 1 ; Day, Fish. 

 India, p. 322 (see syuon.). 



B. v. D. 4 | 9. P. 20. V. 5. A. 9. C. 10. 

 Length of head 4j to 6, of caudal fin 2 to 3, height of body 12 in 

 the total length. Eyes close together, diameter 4 to 4-L in length 

 of head, 1^ diam. from end of snout. Preopercular spine straight, 

 as long as diameter of eye, with five to ten denticulations inter- 

 nally, and one at its base pointing forward. Gill-opening small, 

 on upper surface of head. Numerous rows of warts on the head. 

 Lateral line single. Fins spines of first dorsal, in the male, 

 filiform, extending some distance beyond the membrane, and about 

 twice as high as the body ; caudal very elongate. In the female, 

 the first dorsal spines are short, caudal of moderate length. Cau- 

 dal lanceolate. Colour buff, with light rounded dots, occasionally 

 having darker edges over the head and body. First dorsal greyish ; 



