  We have used the Low-Resolution Imaging Spectrograph on the Keck II telescope
to observe the brown dwarf candidate D04 (Hawkins et al, 1998). The spectrum
matches that of a spectral-type M7 dwarf, implying a photospheric temperature
of $\approx 2600$K. This is consistent with the available (R-I)$_C$ and (I-K)
colours. If the parallax measured by Hawkins et al is correct, then the
implication is that D04 has a radius of $\sim 0.035 R_\odot$, or one-third that
of Jupiter. This contradicts the predictions made by current stellar models
that electron degeneracy leads to nearly constant radii for stars and brown
dwarfs at masses below 0.1 M$_\odot$. We suggest that an equally valid
interpretation of the data is that D04 is a VB8 analogue at a distance of
$\approx 150$ parsecs.
