24 Dr. Richardson's Contributions to 



which is also said to bear the name of ' tarao * at Otaheite, has four 

 large spots at the base of the dorsal, one large odd one before that 

 fin, and another behind it ; but in other respects it does not seem to 

 differ much from S. Parkinsonii. S. summana has small white spots 

 on the body and fins, but there is a conspicuous black mark on the 

 tad, and the under edge of the preoperculum is finely denticulated. 

 Dimensions. inches, lines. 



Length from mtermaxillary symphysis to tip of caudal 5 1 



, base of ditto 4 2 



anus 2 8| 



, tip of gill-cover 1 8f 



Height of body at beginning of dorsal 1 3^ 



Thickness there 8 



Height of tallest dorsal spine 7i 



Serranus ura [Cuv. & VaL}), The Ura. 



No. 27. Lieut. Emery's drawings. 



Ura, a Japanese name (Cuv. & Val. ii. p. 332). 



Lieut. Emery's portfolio contains a drawing of a Serranus 

 captured at Depuch Island, which agrees tolerably well with 

 the account of S. ura in the ^ Histoire des Poissons.' The 

 species was discovered by M. Langsdorf in Krusenstern's 

 voyage on the coast of Japan. 



In Lieut. Emery's drawing the body is represented as fuller and 

 higher, and the dorsal spines as decreasing more in height as they 

 approach the articulated portion of the fin, than in the other species 

 closely allied to the merra. The depth of the body is equal to one- 

 third of the total length, caudal included : the head forms one-third 

 of the total length, caudal excluded. The middle opercular spine 

 only is indicated in the drawing, and we therefore conclude that the 

 others were inconspicuous in the recent fish. The third dorsal spine 

 is the tallest, and is fully twice as long as the eleventh ; it is about 

 equal to one-third of the height of the body. The soft dorsal is one- 

 fifth part higher. The second anal spine is stouter, but not so long 

 as the tliird one. All the fins are rounded. 

 Rays :— D. 11|14 ; A. 3|7 ; V. 1|5 ; &c. 



It is possible that one or two soft rays may have been omitted in 

 the drawing, as Lieut. Emery was not aware of the importance of 

 enumerating them correctly. 



The general colour of the fish is gamboge-yellow, which fades to 

 white on the middle of the belly. The fins are a paler lemon-yellow. 

 Yellowish-brown spots, roundish, but not very regular in form, are 

 evenly distributed over the head, body, and fins. There are about six 

 in a line between the gill-cover and caudal. On the fins and middle 

 of the belly the spots are paler, and they are not so numerous on the 

 pectorals, head, and under jaw as elsewhere. On the anterior part 

 of the operculum they unite, to form an irregular blotch. 



The length of the individual from which the drawing was made 

 was seven inches. 



