131 
Dr. Q-unther places with the Mediterranean Clinus Argentatus, 
Cuv. & Vah, specimens from Australia ^having constantly 
twenty-three soft rays to the anal fin, instead of nineteen or 
twenty. Admitting, at the same time, that some zoologists may 
consider them as forming a distinct species, he proposes for them, 
in a note, the name of Antinectes. This naturalist must certainly 
entertain very particular ideas on the constitution of the species 
in Zoology. 
CEISTICEPS MtJLTII'ENESTEATFS. 
Form elongate ; length of body four and one-eighth in the 
total length ; head four times in the total length ; orbit of the 
eye four and five-sixths in the length of the head ; there is a 
rather long and arborescent tentacle over the second, a very 
small simple one on the snout ; scales very minute ; the lower 
jaw is considerably longer than the upper one ; first dorsal placed 
over the end of the praeoperculum, formed of three spines ; the 
two first are longer than the other one, and placed much nearer 
one to the other than to the third ; the space between this fin 
and the second dorsal is equal to the transverse diameter of the 
eye. This dorsal is formed of thirty spines and four rays ; it 
grows a little higher as it goes towards its extremity, which is 
rounded; the spines and rays are very strong; the caudal is 
rounded, formed of nine rays and a complex short one on each 
sort ; the membranous dorsal extends to the end of the rays ; the 
anal has the same form as the second dorsal ; the rays are free at 
their end for nearly one-third of their length ; there are two 
spines and twenty-three rays ; the ventrals are formed of three 
rays, united in a membrane for more than one-third of their 
length ; the central one is the longest ; the pectorals have twelve 
rays, much longer than the membranes ; the last ray of the dorsal 
is fixed by a membrane to the tail, but does not extend to the 
base of the caudal ; the last of the anal is similar, but does not 
extend so far as the other. 
This fish is of a handsome purple colour, with large black, 
rounded blotches, forming a line on the back and another on each 
side, the latter being the smallest. Between them are numerous 
short, irregular, white, interrupted longitudinal lines. The belly 
is of a lighter and rather pink colour, with large, white, oval 
