FISHES-SCIAENIDAE-AMBLODON GRUNNIENS. 
97 
Though elongated, the general aspect of this fish is anything hut slender. Its dorsal outline 
is quite arched, and the profile of the head very sloping. The greatest depth, measured under 
the first dorsal fin, constitutes a little less than the third of the total length, in which it is not 
contained quite three times and a half. The body is very much compressed, particularly the 
dorsal and caudal regions ; from the lateral line upwards the thickness tapers away towards the 
insertion of the dorsal fin. The peduncle of the tail is comparatively slender. The head 
enters about four times in the total length. Its external aspect is rounded off, the snout being 
very blunt, rather thick, and projecting beyond the lower jaw. The profile, over the interocular 
region, is slightly depressed, though the surface preserves its convexity. The mouth is rather 
above than below the moderate size. The teeth are of the velvet-like type, the outer premaxil¬ 
lary row alone being rather large, conical, and canine-like. The eye is well developed, 
subcircular in shape, its diameter entering a little over five times in the length of the side of 
the head. The nostrils are much nearer the anterior rim of the orbit than the extremity of the 
snout. The limb of the preopercle is prominently convex and subcrenated ; the opercular 
apparatus is otherwise spineless. The branchial apertures are continuous under the throat, and 
the branchiostegals number seven on either side. 
The anterior dorsal fin is subtriangular and higher than the second. The first spine is very 
small and inconspicuous ; the second and third spines are the highest. Nine spines compose 
that fin ; a tenth spine belongs to the second fin, the base of which is nearly double that of the 
first. A vertical line dropped from the origin of the anterior dorsal would intersect the origin 
of the ventrals, and pass immediately behind the base of the pectorals. The second dorsal fin 
is higher posteriorly than anteriorly. The caudal fin coustitutes nearly the fifth of the total 
length ; its posterior margin is subtruncated or convex. The anal fin is comparatively small, 
provided anteriorly with two spiny rays, the first of which being quite diminutive and rudi¬ 
mentary, whilst the second is very stout, though not so long as the adjoining soft rays.' The 
spine at the external margin of the ventrals is of moderate development; the tips of the latter 
fins are far from reaching the vent, which itself lz situated at a short distance in advance of the 
anterior margin of the anal fin. The pectorals are quite elongated and sublanceolated. 
Br. YII: YII; D IX, I, 33; A II, 7; C 3, 1, 8, 7, 1, 2 ; Y I, 5 ; P 17 or 18. 
The scales are of medium size, deeper than long ; posteriorly pectinated, and provided with 
radiating furrows upon their anterior section only. The lateral line is nearly parallel with the 
dorsal outline, follows the middle of the peduncle of the tail, and extends to the very margin of 
the caudal fin. 
The color is of a silvery bluish grey appearance, darker along the dorsal region and upper 
surface of the head than beneath. The fins are greyish olive; and in the specimen before us 
the anal is maculated. 
References to the figures .—Plate XXIII, fig. 1, represents Amblodon grunniens, somewhat 
reduced in size. Fig. 2 is a scale from the dorsal region. Fig. 3, a scale from the lateral line. 
Fig. 4, a scale from the abdominal region. 
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