398 Description of a collection of Fishes from China. 



There are two spines on the posterior angle of the operculum, 

 five on the inferior angle of the pre-operculum, and two between the 

 nostrils. The interval between the eyes is hollow, and only equal in 

 breadth to about half the diameter of the orbit ; there are no scales 

 in the hollow between the eyes, which is marked by two ridges. 

 The salient ridge which forms the upper boundary of each orbit, 

 presents three spines, one before and two behind. There is also 

 a small spine on the humeral bone above the pectoral fin. The ten 

 lower rays of the pectorals are jointed, but not branched. I'he fol- 

 lowing are the fin rays : 



D. J|: ^'l'. C. 14 : P. 18, of which 10 are simple V. ^. 



The stomach is a short cul-de-sac; a narrow pyloric process, fur- 

 nished with a bundle of soft appendages, joins it to a capacious 

 intestine. The liver is large, consisting of two lobes, of which the 

 right is the largest. The air-vessel consists of a flat pyriform bag. 



The Sebastes are not numerous. One species is peculiar 

 to the North Seas ; another to the sea between America and 

 Kamschatka ; a third to the Mediterranean ; two to the Cape ; 

 another to the Indian seas, and three are noticed as from 

 Japan. Of these, one is without spines on the head. What 

 is known of the only Japan species (with which it is probable 

 the present one may be allied,) has been chiefly derived, 

 as already observed, from the Japanese Encyclopedia. M. 

 Cuvier found it to be Holocentrus albofasciatus. 



Macrognathus undulatus. t. xxii. Jig. 1. 



This species is nearly allied to, if not the same as one that has been 

 mistaken by Buchanan for Macrognathus armatus of Lacepede, but 

 which is however, quite distinct. 



The pectoral fins of the Chinese fish are round, and each contains 

 20 divided rays ; on the back there are 37 short spines in front of 

 the dorsal. The dorsal contains about 72, the anal about 75 rays, 

 and these fins are united with the caudal. The caudal is distinguished 

 by longer rays than the adjoining parts of the anal and dorsal. In front 

 of the anal, there are three prickles. The fin rays and spines are thus; 

 D f|;P.24: A. I- • C. 20. 



