SCYLLIUM PANTHERINUM.— Smith. 



Pisces. — Plate XXV. Fig. 3. — Female. 



S. superne purpureo-griseum, capite pinnisque maculis parvis, nigro-brunneis variegatis ; dorso-lateribusque 

 annulis, figuribusque linearibus contortis notatis ; cirris ad maxillae marginem posteriorem attingen- 

 tlbus. 



Colour. — The upper and lateral parts of the head, the back, the sides 

 superiorly, the dorsal fins and the upper surface of the pectoral fins a tint 

 intermediate between lavender-purple and brownish purple red, the dorsal 

 and pectoral fins with the reddish or flesh tinge strongest. The sides of the 

 head inferiorly, the under parts of the body, and the anal and caudal fins 

 yellowish grey, faintly tinted with flesh red. The upper and lateral parts of 

 the head, the upper surface of the pectoral and ventral fins, and the lateral 

 surfaces of the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins freely speckled with small 

 blackish brown spots, on the head and pectoral fins very numerous and 

 closely set. Back and sides variegated with brownish black rings scattered 

 among a variety of other figures, consisting of highly contorted lines of the 

 same dark colour, some of them approaching the figures of the letters E C 

 and S : on the middle of the back the markings are smallest, most numerous, 

 and most closely set ; on the sides they are much larger, and more distant 

 from each other. 



Form, &c— Body anteriorly rather robust, posteriorly slender. Head 

 slightly depressed and tapered to the point of the snout, the latter narrow, 

 and slightly rounded ; temporal spiracle rather large, subovate, and a little 

 behind the outer angle of the eyelids ; nostrils waved, and the inner 

 extremity of each concealed by a long, slender, and compressed cirrus, which 

 internally, towards its base, is narrowly edged with a fold of thin skin. 

 External to its base there is a slightly pointed cuticular prolongation from 

 the anterior edging of the nostril, which forms a sort of rudimentary cirrus. 

 The first described, or true cirrus, is posteriorly pointed, and extends back- 

 wards as far as the hinder edge of the upper lip. Mouth semi-lunar, and 

 the teeth, which are disposed in transverse rows, are small, slightly curved, 

 and tridentate. The anterior extremity of base of pectoral fin directly under 



