4. 



HOLOCENTRUS RUBER. 



Order, Thoracic. 

 Native Name, ^^^3\'C '^'ii^ ^^ Ratoo Pahayah — Red Pahayah. 



H. RUBER. Body, head, and fins, bright red. Scales partially tinged with gold. 



Branchiostegous rays 5. Dorsal 20, eleven spinous. Pectoral 12. 

 Ventral 6, one spinous. Anal 14, four spinous. Caudal 19. 



The Ratoo Pahayah is found, at certain seasons, in great abun- 

 dance, on the southern coast of Ceylon, generally in deep water. 

 Its flesh is white and solid, and in general estimation. It attains a 

 considerable size, from eighteen inches to two feet in length. For 

 splendour and beauty this fish, w^hen small, may be considered to 

 equal, if not surpass the gold fish (Cyprinus auratus) of China ; but 

 it loses the brilliancy of its colours as it increases in size. 



Figure— The natural size of the Specimen. 



