SPARID.E. 



thirteen inches ; depth four inches ; sides compressed ; scales 

 large, ciliated. General form resembling that of the Sea- 

 Bream. Dorsal line rounded, descending obliquely from 

 the nape to the nostrils, from thence more suddenly to 

 the lips. Colour of the body pale silvery red ; dorsal and 

 caudal fins rose-red ; ventral and anal fins paler ; space be- 

 tween the eyes reddish brown ; in front of the eyes, and 

 on the lower half of the preoperculum, metallic grey ; at 

 the upper part of the base of the pectorals a dark violet- 

 coloured spot, very conspicuous even in the dried fish. 

 Eye large, placed half-way between the tip of the upper 

 jaw and the posterior margin of the operculum ; its dia- 

 meter one-fourth the length of the head. Operculum and 

 preoperculum entire. Lateral line following the dorsal curve, 

 composed of seventy scales. Dorsal fin commencing over the 

 posterior margin of the operculum, and ending in a line with 

 the last ray of the anal fin ; the first spine short, about 

 half the length of the second ; the flexible rays, a little 

 longer than the terminating spiny rays. Anal fin com- 

 mencing under the third flexible ray of the dorsal ; the first 

 three rays spiny, the rest soft. Pectorals and ventrals com- 

 mencing on the same line. Tail forked. Jaws nearly of 

 equal length, the under rather the shortest ; anterior teeth 

 small and numerous, disposed in many rows ; the outer row 

 composed of thirty teeth, longer and more bent than those 

 within ; molars large, disposed in three rows in each jaw. 

 The intervening membranes at the base of the caudal, and 

 the last two rays of the dorsal and anal fins, covered with 

 small thin scales, diminishing in size as they approach the 

 summit of the rays." Number of fin-rays : 



D. 12 + 11 : P. 16 : V. 1 + 5 : A. 3 + 10 : C. 17. 



