CLASS PISCES. 123 



Scicena MaJabarica, Bl. Schn. 19. Soring, Russel. 113. 



About a foot or more long, fulvous. It is considered 

 one of the best Indian fish '. 



We pass on to the percoides, having more than 

 seven branchial rays. Three genera of them are 

 known, all having this particularity, that their ventral 

 fins have a spine and seven or more soft rays ; while 

 in the other acanthopterygii there are not more than 

 five soft rays. 



Holocentrum 2 Artedi. 



Are fine fish, with brilliant and denticulated scales, 

 whose operculum is spiny and denticulated, and the 

 preoperculum not merely denticulated, but has at its 

 angle a strong spine directed backward. They are 

 found in the warm parts of both oceans 3 . 



1 Atherina sihama, Forsk. or platicephalus sihamus, Bl. Sch. 

 Riippel. pois. pi. iii. f. 1. Sillago maculata, Quoy and Gaym. Frey- 

 cin. pi. iii. f. 3. 



2 N.B. We restrict this genus to the species which correspond with 

 the definition of it given by Artedi. Seh. iii. ad tab. 27. 1. and we 

 give as he does to this name, a neuter termination, in order that it 

 may not be confounded with the holocentrus of Bl. and Lacep. in 

 which are mixed up many other species, and especially serrani. 



3 Holocentrum longipinne, Cuv. which is Hoi. sogho, Bl. 232. 

 and his Bodianus peniacanthus, or the Jaguaraca of Marg. 147. ; it 

 is also Scicena rubra, Bl. Sch. Cates. ii. 2. 2. and Amphiprion ma- 

 tejuelo, Bl. Sch. Parra. xiii. 2. Hoi. orientate, Cuv. Seb. iii. 27. 1. 

 Hoi. rubrum, Bennett. Fishes of Ceylon pi. iv. Hoi. leo, Cuv. Ren. 

 1. 27. 148. a very bad figure. Scicena spinifera, Forsk. Hoi. hastatum, 



