BATRACHOIDEiE. 



105 



The Skin is every where closely covered with rough roundish grains, which are much 

 smaller on the under surface of the fish. On the dorsal aspect of the head and body there 

 are also many scattered, conical, granulated, bony tubercles, the largest being about the size 

 of a split pea, occupying the middle of the back, and the roughest ones margining the sides of 

 the tail. There are no vestiges of any barbels on the sides of the head or body. 



Fins.— D. 5; C. 9; A. 4; V. 5 ; P. 11. 



The rays of the fins are with difficulty discernible through the thick and partially granu- 

 lated skin which envelops them. They are all articulated. The pectorals have a fan- like 

 form ; their rays, which are jointed but undivided, being about equal in length to their carpal 

 elongation or arm. The ventrals, attached opposite to the middle of the preoperculum, are 

 dilated and truncated at their ends. The anal fin is far back, and is about half the size of 

 the ventrals : all its rays are articulated. The dorsal very small, and situated a little pos- 

 terior to the anus, but. a considerable distance before the anal fin contains five undivided 

 rays, all articulated at the tips. The caudal is rounded at the end : its rays are forked and 

 project a little beyond the membrane. 



Colour. — The specimen has been so long immersed in rum, that its original colour cannot 

 be determined. At present, its upper surface is greyish-white, with some brown blotches, as 

 if of dirt, adhering to the grained skin. The cavidal and pectorals are whitish, with small 

 round brown spots. The under surface of the body is uniformly greyish-white. 



Intestines. — The stomach is a thin bag, an inch and a half long by an inch wide ; the 

 pylorus much contracted, being at one side of the fundus ; the rest of the gut is delicate, hav- 

 ing a diameter of about a quarter of an inch, and a length exceeding thrice that of the fish, 

 being twice doubled upon itself. There are neither caeca nor air-bladder. The liver is large 

 and oily. 



Dimensions. 

 Inches. Lines. 



ength from frontal tubercle to tip of caudal 



7 



8 



Diameter of orbit . 



'j 



>> 





base of caudal . 



6 



5 



!) 



orifice of mouth . 



;) 



)) 





dorsal 



4 







Distance of ditto beneath snout 



» 



)> 





gill-openings 



3 



2 



Length 



of intermaxillary 



)) 



J) 





tip of suboperculum 



3 



2* 



» 



labials 



» 



tip 



of under jaw to tip of caudal 



7 



6 



» 



limb of under jaw 



)> 





!) 



anal fin 



4 



10 



» 



subopercular bone 



i> 





» 



anus . 



3 



4 



s? 



rays of pectorals . 



>J 





»> 



ventrals 



1 



10 



)• 



„ caudal . 



;> 





!> 



base of rays of 







)' 



„ ventrals . 



pectorals 





. 



. 



4 



10 



!> 



„ anal . 



!! 





» 



tips of ditto . 



5 









stomach . . 

 of small intestines 



nches 



Lines 







7 







6' 







3 







6 







7 







7 



2 



3 



1 



3 



1 



5 



1 



3 







10 



1 



6 



24 







