456 COLONEL MONTAGU ON NEW AND RARE 



second ray a trifle the longest ; the rays spiny and 

 smooth: the rays of the second dorsal fin, are 

 nearly of equal length, except the first, which is 

 shortest : pectoral fins very large. The colour 

 above is pale yellow-brown, tinged with red, and 

 faintly mottled : the first dorsal fin reddish ; the 

 second is almost colourless : caudal fin red : the 

 pectoral fin on the outside, has a dingy-blue cast, 

 dashed with red on the webs, the rays white, with 

 a blush of red ; on the inside dingy-blue, clouded, 

 the margin bright-blue, the two lower rays red : 

 ventral fins nearly white, tinged red at the end : 

 anal fin white, tinged red : the under part of the 

 fish is white, which colour commences some dis- 

 tance below the lateral line. 



This fish grows to a large siTLe, some more than 

 two feet in length, and very tumid round the 

 belly. Were it not for the smoothness of the skin, 

 it might be mistaken for the Sapphirine Gurnard 

 by the pectoral fins being equally large, but they 

 are never spotted with bright blue, as in that 

 species. The inside of the mouth is white ; un» 

 der the gills the same, yellowish towards the up^ 

 per angle : the qaudal fin is slightly forked, but 

 almost even when spread to the utmost, and the 

 angles of equal length. First dorsal fin 9 rays ; 

 second dorsal 16 rays ^ pectoral 9 > ventral 6 ; 

 anal 15. 



