AGRIOPUS SPINIFER.— Smith. 



Pisces. — Plate III. 



A. dorso, lateribusque superne rubro-brunneis, maculis, nebulisve flavis marmoratis ; lateribus inferne, 

 abdomineque argenteo-griseis purpureo-tinctis ; pinna dorsale maculis tribus nigris notata ; pinnis 

 pectoralibus, ventralibus, analeque flavo-maculatis; aculeo uno ante oculum, et tribus versus angulum 

 oris. 



Longitudo 12^ unc. 



Colour. — The head, the back, and the sides, till some distance beneath 

 the lateral line, rich reddish brown, marbled with brownish yellow spots or 

 nebulcB, which are disposed in irregular longitudinal rows, and are smallest 

 and most numerous towards the dorsal fin. The lower portions of the sides 

 and the belly are dull silvery-grey, with a purple gloss ; the line of demarca- 

 tion between the reddish-brown and silvery-grey is very distinct and waved. 

 Dorsal fin close to the back light brownish yellow, the remainder dull brown ; 

 on the anterior portion of the fin the lower edge of the latter colour appears 

 somewhat scolloped, there being between every two rays an obtuse brown 

 point almost reaching to the back. This fin besides is marked with several 

 brownish black spots or stripes ; three are distinct spots, the first is between 

 the first and second ray, and occupies more than the superior half of the 

 intermediate membrane ; the second is between the sixth and seventh ray, 

 and the third between the seventh and eighth ; they are of a somewhat 

 circular form and situated near to the upper margin of the fin : the stripes 

 occupy the upper edge of the last third of the spinous portion and the whole 

 of the same part of the soft portion of the fin. The pectoral, ventral, anal, 

 and caudal fins are yellowish brown, and the rays of the three first are barred 

 with brownish yellow. 



Form, &c. — Typical. Figure rather more delicate than that of Agriopus 

 torvus, nearly similar to that of Agriopus verrucosus, Bl. ; the form of the head 

 also approaches to that of the latter species, and differs from A. torvus in the 

 snout being directed rather more horizontally. Mouth small ; lips thick 

 and fleshy ; teeth long, slender, numerous, and closely set. The frontal 



