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mult.er’s topknot. 
body, rough from small scales, which also clothe the rays ol 
the fins. The dorsal fin begins but little above the upper jaw; 
ventrals close under the throat, and united to the anal, and the 
latter with the dorsal broadest posteriorly; and then both of 
them becoming more narrow they pass under the body, so as 
almost to be brought together on the under surface. Pectoral 
and tail fins rather small. The colour is dark brown, with 
stripes and blotches that are almost black, especially on the 
head, where a broad stripe passes from each eye to their 
respective borders. There is often a broad circular spot, which 
sometimes is marked with a lighter centre, at the side where 
the arch of the lateral line ends. 
This fish is subject to some remarkable variety. Thus, I 
have seen it with almost the whole of the upper surface, 
except the head and a small patch near the tail, without 
colour or scales, like the lower surface; the border of the 
dorsal and anal fins yellowish red, and with only two or three 
rays hatung scales; on the tail the rays extended beyond the 
border of the membrane. In another instance there was no 
caudal portion, so that where the dorsal and anal fins were 
brought closely together the body terminated. 
