SPARID/E. 



superior part, striated on the inferior ; the larger and older 

 the fish, the more metallic is the appearance. In the charac- 

 ter and position of the fins there is but little difference ; the 

 first three or four soft rays of the dorsal fin are longer than 

 the last spiny ray, and the last two or three soft rays of both 

 dorsal and anal fin are invested together in one scaly cover- 

 ing ; both fins have their bases in a deep groove formed by 

 the extended free edges of the scales on the dorsal and abdo- 

 minal lines ; the tail is slender and deeply forked. 

 The number of fin-rays are : 



D. 12 + 10 : P. 15 : V. 1 + 5 : A. 3 + 8 : C. 17. 



The scales of the body are large and ciliated at their free 

 margin ; those of the lateral line following the curve of the 

 back about an inch below the dorsal line. 



The colour of this fish when alive is a fine carmine red on 

 the back, passing into rose colour on the sides, and becoming 

 almost silvery white on the belly ; the membranes of the fins 

 are rose colour, the anal and ventral fins being paler than the 

 others ; the space between the eyes reddish brown, with two 

 dark streaks of the same colour on each side the nape of the 

 neck, and an indication of a pale brown spot in the axilla of 

 the pectoral fin, but this mark is most conspicuous in the 

 larger and older specimens. 



