The _colour_, as it appears in spirits, is nearly of a uniform
olivaceous brown, with scarce any indication of vertical bands; paler
on the abdomen. There are four or five oblique narrow whitish lines on
the dorsal, but not very distinct; also two on the anal, more decided:
these lines appear to have been bluish, and there are traces of the
same colour about the head and gill-covers.
In all other respects it accords exactly with the description in the
“Histoire des Poissons,” where it is added, in reference to colour, that
this species is subject to much variation. Mr. Darwin’s specimen
measures five inches two lines in length. The number attached to it has
been lost, so that there is nothing to shew where it was taken. It is
probably, however, from the Keeling Islands, as there is in the
collection, from that locality, another specimen, which I have little
doubt of being the female of the one above noticed.
This _second specimen_ wants the nuchal crest, as is stated to be the
case in the female of _S. quadricornis_. It is not full-sized,
measuring only three inches four lines in length, which may account
for the proportions being a little different from those of the adult.
The depth is one-sixth of the entire length, or rather less. The
filamentous appendages resemble those of the first specimen, but the
nasal ones have rather fewer bristles. In the form of the head, fins,
and all its other characters, it is exactly similar. The fin-ray
formula is a little different;