300 



A. Aloock— Descriptions of some new and rare [No. 3, 



ing stays not, or hardly, pi-ojecting as spines. A low crenato ridgo 

 across the cheek ; and a similar ridge across the occipital, and another 

 across the temporal region. Snout as long as the eye, or one-fourth 

 the length of the head. Interocular space narrower than the eye ; 

 with a median longitudinal groove ; and bounded by thin sharp crenate 

 supra-orbital I'idges. 



Cleft of mouth wide and oblique. The maxilla is much expanded 

 behind. A barbel about the middle of the limb of the lower jaw. Villi- 

 form teeth in the jaws and palatines. Gill-opening wide : the posterior 

 gill-cleft is a small foramen. Gill-rakers closo-set and numerous. Integu- 

 ment comparatively thin, without scales : it invests all the fins. The 

 lateral line shows as 17 to 18 tubular papillas. All the fin-rays are 

 simple. Dorsal fins continuous, the soft portion being the higher : all 

 the spines are weak and flexible, the 1st being very small. Anal spines 

 hidden, the Isc being visible only on reflecting the skin. Caudal about 

 one-fifth of the total length. Pectoral as long as the head : its free 

 filament reaches to the 3rd anal ray. Ventral nearly half as long as 

 pectoral. Colours in life : — rosy red with white and gray mottliugs and 

 minute black dots ; throat and barbels white ; pectoral, ventral, and 

 anal fins edged with black. Total length 2j inches. 



Taken in 70 fathoms, east of the Sacramento shoal on the Godavari 

 coast. 



Two specimens ; the body of one of them almost completely invested 

 by a colony of hydroid polyps (Foducorijne, sp.). 



Family SciiENiDiE. 



SCIJINA OPHICBPS, sp. n. 

 D.lO/i A.? L.lat.^-J. L.Tr. j5^(„snanylG). 

 P. 20. V. 1/5. C. 17. 

 Body elongate low and compressed ; head long low and pyramidal. 

 The dorsal profile makes a straight ascent, at an angle of about 23° 

 from the tip of the snout to the first dorsal spine, and thence abruptly 

 makes an almost straight descent, at an angle of about 10° with the 

 horizon, to near the base of the caudal. Height of the body 4^ to 4f, 

 length of head 3f to 3f , in the total. The height of the head equals ita 

 length behind the middle of the orbit. The snout is acutely pointed ; 

 its length is equal to a diameter and a half of the eye, which is 54 in the 

 head-length ; not overhanging the mouth. The upper jaw overlaps the 

 lower, so that when the mouth is shut the anterior canine-like teeth pro- 

 ject like fangs. The tip of the snout has three large pores, and a free 

 bi-lobed flap of skin with a wide pocket-like pore between the lobes, each 



