40 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



Pteeois MILES. 



Scoep^ena miles, Bennett, pi. 9. 



Pteeois mueicata, Guv. & Vol. iv. p. 363. 



Pteeois miles, Cantor, Catal. p. 42; Gunther, Catal. ii. pp. 125, 521. 



B.vii. D.ift*. P. 12. V.l A.f C. 14. Vert. if. 



Length of head ¥ , of pectorals J, of caudal f , of base of dorsal J, of base of anal y 1 ^ of total 

 length. Height of head \, of body \, of hard dorsal §, of soft dorsal \, of ventral \, of anal \ of 

 total length. 



Eyes — The upper margin of orbit somewhat raised above the profile, its diameter \ the length 

 of the head, 1 \ diameter from end of snout, 1 diameter apart. 



Profile very slightly convex over snout, straight from thence to dorsal, but the upper margin 

 of the orbit projects slightly, and the spines on the side of the occiput very much above it. 



Mouth horizontal, the maxilla does not reach as far as the anterior margin of the orbit. 

 Symphysis of lower jaw projects a little downwards. Intermaxillaries deeply notched in centre, 

 and protrusible. Preorbitals broad, rather elevated in front, and roughened by ridges and grooves 

 which radiate from their centres. Preopercle with two strong spines on the vertical limb, the upper 

 being the largest : a third, less strong on its angle. Lower limb nearly horizontal, entire. Sub- 

 and interopercles entire. Opercle with a blunt spinous extremity. Between and internal to the 

 two nasal orifices is a sharp spine directed upwards and backwards, there are also some rugosities 

 along the upper margin of the orbit which in old specimens become spiniferous, and one large 

 spine at the posterior superior angle of the orbit. The temporal ridge, commencing about the 

 centre of the posterior margin of the orbit, is spiny in the whole of its course towards the lateral 

 line. The interorbital space is shallow and rather concave from side to side, a deep groove con- 

 tinued anteriorly as far as the intermaxillary bones, runs down its centre, whilst posteriorly it expands 

 over the occiput, where it is bordered on either side by an outwardly curved blade-like crest, 

 flattened from side to side, and terminates in its posterior superior part in two large flat 

 spines, which in old specimens become several badly developed spines. A spiny ridge proceeds 

 from the preorbital over the cheeks to the angle of the preopercle ; in old subjects it becomes 

 very ru°yed, the single row of spines is augmented into two or three lesser ones, while its width 

 is much increased. At the centre of the upper margin of the orbit arises a fleshy filament half the 

 diameter of the eye in length, but which in old subjects appears to become still shorter : there is 

 generally another at the angle of the mouth, and some others along the inferior margin of the 

 preorbital and preopercle. 



Teeth — In jaws and vomer villiform. 



Fins — Dorsal spines pretty strong and extend over more than two-thirds of the base of the 

 fin, the membrane merely connects them close to their origin, whilst the rays are connected at 

 their summits, and are only divided into two branches, the third spine is equal to the highest. In 

 the pectorals the membrane is extended as in the P. volitans, and the other fins resemble those of 

 that fish. 



Scales — Small. 



Lateral line — In upper fourth of body. 



Colours — Brilliant scarlet, the bars darker, but distributed as in the last species, rays of 

 dorsal, anal, and caudal unspotted. In fact an old Pterois volitans and a young P. miles are still 

 desiderata. 



