92 ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



as the third wliicli equals one third of the height of the body : caudal deeply forked the upper lobe the longer. 

 As regards sexes the dorsal sj)ine8 are equally prolonged in males and females : the pectoral is a little longer in 

 tlie males, extending to the anus, but the caudal lolx;s are the same. Culuurs — rosy, with four or five yellowish 

 longitudinal bands between the rows of scales from immediately above the base of the pectoral fin. Fins 

 pinkish : tips of dorsal spines orange. 



Russell's figui-e, although defective, is sufficient to distinguish the species by : it is the most common 

 kind in IMadras from October to March, and may be at once recognised fi'om the other recorded forms by its 

 long and flexible dorsal spines and deeply emarginate interspinous membrane. The caudal fins of some males 

 examined in October had no filamentous prolongations. 



Cuv. and Val. specimens are in good preservation at Paris and coincide with the above described, but 

 not with Sponihjllosnma ijulimitula, Cantor, whose type is iu the British Museum. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



3. Synagris Bleekeri, Plate XXIV, fig. 1. 

 B. vi, D. V", P- 17, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 17, L. 1. 48, L. tr. 3^11. 



Length of head one-fourth to 2/9, of caudal 4f , height of body 4j in the total length. Eyes — transversely 

 oval, diameter 3 J in the length of head, Ij diameters from end of snout, and 1 apart. Interorbital space flat. 

 The maxilla reaches to below the first third of the orbit. Preorbital three-fourths as high as the leng-th of the 

 transverse diameter of the orbit, its posterior margin oblique gradually passing into the inferior one. Preopercle 

 entire. A small flat spine on the opercle. Teetli — in villiform bands in the upper jaw, four small canines in the 

 front of each premaxillary, no enlarged lateral row : villii'orm teeth above the symphysis in the lower jaw, but 

 continued a very short distance laterally, and canine-like teeth in front of the lower jaw, and a single row of 

 conical ones in the last two-thirds of the mandible. Fins — dorsal spines of moderate strength with the 

 interspinous membrane scarcely notched, the spines increase in length to the last, the height of which equals the 

 length of the post-orbital portion of the head or two-fifths of the height of the body, the last rays somewhat 

 elongated and equal to half the height of the body. Pectoral nearly as long as the head : ventral with its outer 

 ray elongated and nearly reaching the anal spines : anal sjiines of equal strength, the second not so long as the 

 third which is rather longer than the diameter of the orbit : caudal deeply forked, the upper lote the longer, 

 but no filamentous prolongation was observed in Madras specimens. Golours — reddish superiorly, becoming 

 silvery along the sides and beneath, where yellow bands exist : a bluish spot on the opercle : fins reddish, dorsal 

 edged with orange and having a golden band along its base. 



This species is closely allied to S. notatus, from which it differs both in its dentition and colouring. 



Sahitat. — Seas of India. The specimen figured is from I\Iadras, and 8 inches in length. 



4. Synagris Japonicns, Plate XXIV, fig. 2. 



Sparus Japonicus, Bl. t. 277, f. 1 (not Synagris Japonicus, Giinther). 

 Cantharnsfilamentosiis, RLipp. Atl. p. 50, t. xii, f. 3 (not Deiitexfilamenfosus, C. V.). 

 Dmitex tambulus, Cuv. and Val. vi, pp. 249, 558 (? Riippell, not Bleeker). 

 fBentex hipuiictatus, (Ehren.) Cuv. and Val. vi, p. 247. 

 Synagris Jilamentosus, Giinther, Catal. i, p. 378. 

 Synagris grammicits, Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 20, pi. iv. 

 Changarah, Tam. 



B. vi, D. V", P- 17, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 17, L. 1. 48, L. tr. 3|/10. 



Length of head 1/4, of cau.dal 2/9, height of body 1/4 of the total length excluding the filamentous 

 prolongation of the upper caudal lobe. Eyes — diameter 3^ to 3j in length of head, Ij to H diametei's from end 

 of snout, and nearly 1 apart. The maxilla reaches to below the fii'st third of the orbit. Vertical limb of 

 preopercle finely and evenly serrated in its lower half : its angle rounded and entire. Opercle without any 

 distinct sjjine. Teeth — ^in villiform bands in both jaws, from four to six small curved canines in the front of 

 either premaxillary, whilst the outer row is a very little the largest : in the mandible the last six or eight teeth 

 only are conical and a little enlarged. Fins — dorsal spines rather weak with the interspinous membi-ane scarcely 

 notched, the height of the sj)ine8 increase to the last which equals the length of the postorbital portion of the 

 head ; the last ray equals half the length of the head. Pectoral reaches to above the anal spines. Ventral, 

 having its first ray prolonged, reaches as far as the anal fin. Third anal spine slightly weaker than the second but 

 longer, equalling one-third the length of the head. Caudal deeply forked, having a filamentous prolongation. 

 (This may be peculiar to the males, but I have reason to believe it is present in the females. In a specimen 

 captured at Madras, 9^ inches in length to the end of the caudal lobes, the upper one is produced beyond this 

 2^^^ inches in addition.) Colcmrs — -yellowish-red, having longitudinal reddish lines along each row of scales. 

 Dorsal and anal fins with a yellow streak along their centres, a grey base and pinkish edge. 



Dentex Blochii, Bleeker (Sciten. p. 17(3, and Revis. Dentex, p. 27)^=Sy>iagris Japonicus, Giinther (Catal. i, 

 p. 378) is not synonymous with the above, its preopercular limb being entire. The statement in Cuv. and Val. 

 of the preopercular edge being entire is erroneous, as I have convinced myself by examining the type specimen 

 at Berlin, and Val.'s identification of it with Sparus Japonicus was perfectly correct. 



S. grammicus ajipears to be a variety of this fi.sh, its preorbital being considerably higher than is seen in 



