298 



A. Alcock—Desc7-{2}tions of some new anil rare [N"o. 3, 



Sebastes seeeulatus. pi. XXII, Fig. 2. 



Eichardson, Eeport on tho Ichthyology of tho Soaa of China and Japan, p. 215 ; 

 Gunther, Cat. ii., 100. 



D. 12/J(i. A|. L. lat. ciro. 45 ; P. IS. V. 1/5. C. 3/14/3. 

 Body compressed ; its lieiglifc 3| in tlie total, and equal to the length 

 of the head. Head uniformly scaly, with all its crests low and crenatod. 

 Preorbital edge crenate ; preopercnlar border dentate ; operculum with 

 a single weak spinous point. The occipital and temporal regions are 

 traTersed each by a rugose ridge ; and the cheek is crossed, from pre- 

 orbital to pre-opercular angle, by a broad double-crested crenate ridge. 

 Snout deep with a narrow excavation between the prema-fillte : its 

 length is eqiial to that of the eye, which is 3.f in the head-length. The 

 interorbital space is a deep scaly furrow ending anteriorly in a pit. The 

 supraorbital ridge is three crested, the edge of each crest being crenat- 

 ed. Cleft of mouth very oblique. The maxilla reaches beyond the 

 level of the middle of the eye ; its hinder expanded end is scaly, and its 

 anterior two-thirds has a median longitudinal upstanding serrated crest. 



Each limb of the lower jaw is traversed by three parallel serrated 

 crests with scaly interspaces. Tongue free. Villiform teeth in the jaws 

 and on the projecting head of the vomer : none on the palate. Gill- 

 opening wide : the last gill-cleft is reduced to a small foramen. Scales 

 very thick, of moderate size, bluntly-ctenoid on the back and sides, 

 cycloid on the abdomen. The first two and the third and fourth dorsal 

 spines are isolated : the first is short ; the third, fourth, and fifth are of 

 equal length— two-fifths of the head. The soft dorsal is separated from 

 the spinous by a deep notch ; its middle rays are half tho length of the 

 head ; its last ray is double. The 3rd anal spine is the longest and 

 strongest. The length of the caudal is a little more than one-fourth 

 the total. The pectoral is broad and long with a scaly base : it reaches 

 as far as the posterior edge of the base of the anal. The ventral rays 

 are equal in length to the anal. Colours in life, bright scarlet, with a 

 series of five indefinite transverse red-brown bands not reaching the 

 abdomen : a large iridescent dark-blue circular patch on the operculum : 

 pectoi'al rays bright yellow : irregular rows of dark brown blotches on 

 the fins. Length, 4| inches. 



One specimen taken off Ganjam in 23 fathoms, on a soft bottom. 



Sebastes mucipaeus, sp. n., PI. XXII, Fig. 3. 

 B. 7. D. 12/i. A. -s. L. lat. 70. P. 19. V. 1/5. C. 2/16/1. 

 Height of body 3f , length of head about 3, in the total. Snout 

 sharp, as long as the eye, which is 3| in the head-length ; with a wide 



