OCR Text |
Show 1871.] IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 661 total length (without caudal). Eight lobate incisors in the upper jaw, and ten in the lower. Anterior profile of the snout slightly concave. The distance of the nostril from the edge of the upper jaw is two thirds of the length of the head. Dorsal and anal fins rounded behind; caudal deeply forked, with the lobes pointed. Deep black; a ring round the lower jaw, the opercular membrane and the outer ventral ray bluish. Hind margin of the caudal with a lighter-coloured crescent. One specimen, 3 | inches long (no. 56), from the Godeffroy M u seum ; it was obtained at Savay (Samoa Islands). CUBICEPS MULTIRADIATUS. (Plate LXI.) D. 10|i. A.J. L. lat. 60. L. transv. 8/22. The height of the body is contained twice and one fifth in the total length (without caudal), the length of the head thrice and a half. Abdomen not compressed into a ridge; ventral fins received in a groove. The eye occupies nearly the middle of the depth of the head; its diameter equals the length of the snout, and is one fourth of that of the head. Jaws with a series of very small teeth. The vomer and tongue are armed with a narrow band of minute teeth; no palatine teeth. Maxillary hidden below the preeorbital, and extending to the front margin of the orbit. Pectoral fin rather longer than the head, and extending considerably beyond the origin of the anal. Ventral fin two fifths as long as the pectoral. Caudal fin deeply forked. Light brownish, with a silvery tinge; a blackish stripe along each series of scales. Fins black, except the pectoral; inside of the mouth and gill-cavity flesh-coloured. One specimen, 6 inches long, has been sent from Manado by Dr. A. B. Meyer. PLATYCEPHALUS CINEREUS. D. 1|7|12. A. 12. L. lat. 120. The length of the head is two sevenths of the total (without caudal), its width between the prseopercular spines is contained once and three fourths in its length. Upper surface of the head smooth, without spiues, except a minute one in front of the eye. Preeoper-cular spines short, subequal in length, or the lower somewhat the longer. The teeth of the maxillary are villiform, forming a broadish band with two pairs of distinct canine teeth behind on the side of the symphysis. The mandibulary and palatine bands are much narrower, with a series of longer conical teeth. Vomerine band continuous, crescent-shaped, narrowest in the middle, broadest towards each extremity, where also some larger conical teeth are mixed with the villiform teeth. Interorbital space but slightly concave, scaly, its width being equal to the diameter of the eye, which is contained twice and one third in the length of the snout. Eye without tentacle. The isolated dorsal spine short and stiff. Upper parts nearly uniform blackish ash; dorsal fins without spots, transparent; caudal |