FISHES—SQUAMIPENNES—EPHIPPUS ZONATUS. 
Ill 
peduncle of the tail is rather short and slender. The head is small and constitutes a little less 
than the fourth of the total length ; the snout being round and abruptly declivous. The pre¬ 
nasal aperture, which is small and circular, is situated at the anterior aspect of the rostrum, 
somewhat nearer the orbit than the margin of the upper lip, while the post-nasal one is well 
developed, in the shape of a compressed ellipsis, obliquely situated in advance of the orbit. The 
mouth is rather small, its gape nearly horizontal, the posterior extremity of the maxillary 
extending to a vertical line drawn between the post-nasal aperture and the anterior rim of the 
orbit. The eye is of moderate size, circular in shape, its diameter entering about three times 
and a half in the length of the side of the head. 
The branchial apertures do not extend much below the opercular bone, thus giving rise to a 
very wide isthmus ; the branchiostegals, four on either side, are but moderately developed. 
The origin of the spinous dorsal fin corresponds to a vertical line which would pass imme¬ 
diately behind the base of the pectorals. The two first spines are very small and inconspicuous ; 
the third is the largest of all ; the rest diminish gradually to the last. The anterior margin 
of the soft dorsal is inclined backwards ; its upper margin is somewhat undulated ; its posterior 
extremity, which is somewhat rounded, does not quite reach the insertion of the caudal fin. 
The anal is shorter than the dorsal, but proportionally as deep as the latter is high. In 
shape or outline both of these fins are alike ; the posterior extremity of the one under considera¬ 
tion is nearly even with the dorsal, and at the same distance from the insertion of the caudal as 
the latter. Of the three spines at its anterior margin, the second or middle one is the stoutest 
and deepest, the first and third being sub-equal and small. The caudal is dove-tail like, 
slightly undulated upon its posterior margin which otherwise assumes a truncated appearance ; 
it constitutes about the sixth of the total length. The anterior or external margin of the 
insertion of the ventrals is situated somewhat in advance of the pectorals and posterior edge of 
the opercle ; these fins are sub-triangular, the first articulated ray being filiform upon its 
extremity, which extends as far as the vent, placed somewhat in advance of the anterior margin 
of the anal fin. The spiny ray is slender and acute, sub-equal with the fourth articulated one. 
The pectorals are rather small, exteriorly rounded and sub-conical in their outline; their 
posterior extremity not extending as far as the tips of the ventrals. 
Br. IV: IV; D VIII, I, 22 ; A III, 19 ; C 2, 1, 8, 7, 1, 3 ; V I, 5 ; P 16. 
The scales are of moderate size, deeper than long, and finely pectinated posteriorly, whilst 
the anterior section exhibits distant furrows. The lateral line constitutes a curve, convex 
upwards, nearly parallel to the dorsal outline, reaching the middle of the caudal peduncle 
near the terminus of both the dorsal and anal fins. 
The ground color of the upper region is olivaceous grey, that of the inferior region yellowish; 
the middle of the flank exhibiting an intermediate hue between the two tints just alluded to. 
A black band, slightly convex forwards, extends from the occiput across the eye, to the throat in 
advance of the branchial aperture and a little beyond it. A second similar band, broader and 
more convex still, has its initial point immediately in advance of the spiny dorsal, extending to 
the abdominal region at a level with the insertion of the ventrals, passing immediately behind 
the pectorals and encroaching somewhat upon the posterior edge of the opercle. Like the former, 
it does not meet underneath with its fellow. The third and narrowest band, from the fourth 
and fifth dorsal spine, extends to about the middle of the distance between the lateral line and 
the vent, being likewise slightly convex forwards. The fourth band, which is nearly as broad 
as the second, stretches obliquely backwards from the anterior margin of the soft portion of the 
