392 ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Cossyplus axillaris, D. i-fj) -^- A"i ^j. 1. 34. Orange red, darkest superiorly, as a rule a Ijlack spot at 

 base of pectoral and on the first few rays of dorsal and anal fins. Madagascar, Mauritius, seas of India. 



2. Ciisft/phii.s Diana, D. ^-f, A. yo-ti?' -'-'• 1- 32-33. Reddish, three white spots between the lateral-line 

 and base of dorsal fin : a small black spot at end of lateral-line, some dark spots on scales in last portion of the 

 body above the lateral-line. ^lozambique, Mauritius, seas of India to the ilalay Archipelago. 



1. Cossyphus axillaris, Plate LXXXII, fig. 3, {varidij.) 



Lnhrus axillaris, Benn. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1831, p. 166. 



Cossyphus axillaris, Cuv. and Val. xiii, p. 131, pi. 371 ; Giinther, Catal. iv, p. 103 ; Klunz. Verh. z. b. 

 Gas. Wieu, 1871, p. 549. 



CossijjiliHs NeiUi, Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 18G7, p. 5G0 (variety). 



MooiijilU, Tamil. 



B. vi, D. I-J, P. IG, V. 1/5, A. fV. C. 14, L. 1. 34, L. tr. 5/12. 



Length of head 4, of caudal 7 to 8, height of body 3| to 4 in the total length. Eyes — diameter 4 to 4 j in 

 length of head, l-i- to If diameters from end of snout, and 1\ apart. The greatest height of the head equals its 

 length behind the posterior nostril. Upper lip thick and with a broad anterior fold. Preopercle finely 

 serrated. Teeth — a posterior canine present. Fins — caudal truncated or slightly emarginate. Colours — head 

 and upper two-thirds of the back orange red. Fins yellow, with a black base to the pectoral, and a black 

 blotch on the upper two-thirds of the first few dorsal and anal rays. 



Variety. — A. Amongst Sir W. Elliott's drawings is one of this fish, in which the black markings are seen 

 in the form of deep orange blotches. 



Variety. — B. {C. Neilli). A second variety (of which the specimen from which it was figured has 

 been preserved), shows the head and upper two-thirds of the body as far as the middle of the dorsal fin of a 

 deep oi'ange red, as is also the first half of the soft anal, the posterior half of both these fins yellow. Caudal 

 and free portion of the tail orange scarlet, (not so in my specimens). Pectoral flesh-coloured, lips reddish. 



The series appears to conclusively prove that the colours of this species are subject to great variation. 

 The one figui-ed (life-size) is of the second variety {G. Neilli), and from ]Madras. 



The species adverted to by Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 135, are as follows : — MoonjiUi, Tarn, is 

 G. axillaris variety Neilli: Kul moonjilU is C. Diana. 



Habitat. — Madagascar, Mauritius, seas of India to New Hebrides. 



2. Cossyphus Diana, Plate LXXXVII, fig. 3. 



Lahrus Diava, Lacep. iii, pp. 451, 522, pi. 32, f. 1. 



Cossyphus Diana, Cuv. and Val. xiii, p. 127; Peters. Fische Moss. Pr. Ak. Berl. 1^55, p. 451 ; Blceker, 

 Sumatra, vii, p. 86, and Atl. Ich. i, p. 159, t. 38, fig. 1 ; Giinther, Catal. iv, p. 104 ; Klunz. Verh. z. b. Ges. 

 Wien, 1871, p. 549. 



Lahrus leucosticticus, Bennett, Proc. .Zool. Soc. 1831, p. IGG. 



Coss^jphus spilotes, Guich. in Maillard, Notes on the Isle of Reunion, App. p. 14. 



B. vi, D. {1-, P. 16, V. 1/5, A. To^^, C. 14, L. 1. 32-33, L. tr. 4/12. 



Length of head 3i- to 3|, of caudal 6, height of body 3j in the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/5 

 of length of head, 2 diameters from end of snout, and li apart. Snout produced, rather pointed : lips thick and 

 broad : preopercle finely serrated. Teeth — a posterior canine in either jaw. Fins — no elongated ventral ray : 

 caudal tr^^ncated. Colours — reddish, three large white spots between the lateral-line and the base of the dorsal 

 fin, two being below the spines and one beneath the rays. Dark spots on the end of the scales from the 

 commencement of the soft dorsal to the caudal above the lateral-line : a black spot at the posterior end 

 of the lateral-line : fins diaphanous. 



Some specimens have a white spot before the commencement of the lateral-line. Others show a large 

 black spot upon the ventral, and two more on the anal fins. 



Hahitat. — Seas of India : a specimen 51 inches long exists in the Calcutta ]\Iuseum, taken in the Indian 

 Ocean. There is also a figure of this species amongst Sir Walter Elliot's drawings, it was captured at Waltair. 

 The one figured (life-size) is from the Malay Archipelago, and for it I am indebted to Dr. Hubrecht 

 of the Leyden Museum. 



Genus, 3 — Labeoides, Bleeker. 



Diproctacanthus, Bleeker ; Fissilahrus, Kner. 



Branchiostegals five : piseudohranchim. Body oblong, compressed. Gill-membranes attached to the isthmv?. 

 Snout pointed, lipts prominent, one of them having a notch anteriorly. Preopercle entire. A band of small teeth in, 

 the jaws, with a pair of curved canines in- either jaw, the upper pair being received between the lower ones when the 

 mouth is closed : a posterior canine tooth: inferior pharyngeal teeth not confluent vr piavement-lihe. A single dorsal 



