FISHES FROM JAPAN. 



45 



third of total length without caudal ; anal inserted slightly behind the 

 middle between vent and root of caudal, or inserted entirely behind 

 dorsal, tip of anal not reaching root of caudal. Length of the longest 

 ray of pectoral equal to width of trunk at axil. 



Cranial region elevated in front, depressed posteriorly ; trunk 

 slender, wider than high, tapering towards caudal fin. Spines on 

 supraorbital and occipital regions rather prominent, forming 2 rows and 

 leaving a smooth space along the median line of head. Behind 

 occipital region a median row of spine-bearing plates running to root 

 of caudal, forked in front of the base of dorsal fin and completely 

 surrounding the base. Three rows of spines near outer edge of head, 

 the middle row having larger spines anteriorly and extending forward 

 to near the lower lip ; below eye between the row and the upper row 

 of spines about 4 large plates present ; lower row of spines near outer 

 edge of under surface, not quite reaching to below eye anteriorly. 

 Posterior angle of head ending in a sharp triangular process 

 with several spinules at tip. A row of plates running backward from 

 postorbital rim continued into that on wrist ; between this and the 

 median row of plates a smooth space is present ; between this lateral 

 and the upper row of plates on outer edge of disc, about 4 plates 

 rather closely arranged near posterior edge of the disc. Body behind 

 vent with 3 rows of plates, upper lateral, middle and lower lateral. 

 Plates on upper surface all with radiating ridges and a bluntly ending 

 spine at centre. Under surface with very few plates, each without 

 spine at centre. 



Colour in formalin, gray above, pale below ; 3 pairs of blackish 

 rings ; the first pair of the ring lies on an imaginary line drawn from 

 anterior rim of eye to axil and at a point halfway of the length, 

 diameter of the ring of this pair being § diameter of pupil ; rings of 

 the second pair closer to each other than to the first pair and separated 

 from each other by a space equal to interorbital width, each ring 

 rather elliptical than circular in shape, the longer diameter being 



