PLECTROPOMA. 1 3 



The third to the fifth dorsal spines longest; the spinous portion much lower than 

 the soft or than the anal. The first spine of the anal is very small and frequently con- 

 cealed in the skin, but never absent as stated by Cuvier and Valenciennes in their 

 description of P. melanoleucum. 



Var. a. P. melanoleucum [316]. Colour violet grey; snout brown; posterior part 

 of tail and point of lower lip yellow. Body with five black cross bands : the first 

 across the occiput from the middle of the interspace between the eyes ; the second 

 over the shoulders to the posterior limb of the operculum ; the third from before the 

 first to the fifth dorsal spines, continued on that fin and joining the band on the oppo- 

 site side round the belly ; the fourth below the last three dorsal spines ; and the fifth 

 from the fifth to last dorsal rays ; the last two bands are continued on the base of the 

 dorsal. All the fins are bright yellow ; the pectorals and ventrals have large black spots 

 on the base : this last is characteristic of all the varieties. 



Length 13^ inches. 



Zanzibar. Mozambique. Mauritius. 



Var. b [316]. Similar in general appearance to a. The ground-colour is darker; 

 the cross bands have lost their deep-black colour, and have assumed a greenish hue, 

 and their margins only are closely studded with small blue dark-edged ocelli. 



Length 15 inches. 



Zanzibar. 



Var. c [4 74]. The ground-colour is nearly similar to that of b. A trace still re- 

 mains of the cross bands, but it is so faint that it only becomes apparent in a dried 

 state and in certain lights. The whole of the head, body, vertical fins, and the base of 

 the pectorals have become covered with ocelli, as in b. They are small and round, 

 each occupying about three scales. 



This specimen is about the same size as the last. 



Zanzibar. 



Var. d. P. maculatum [444]. The entire body has assumed a lighter hue, the 

 ground-colour is yellowish brown, and the ocelli have changed into pale-blue spots, 

 some of which, especially those on the middle of the body and tail, are elongated and 

 streak-like. The bases of the soft dorsal and anal are spotted like the body; the 

 head and caudal have numerous dots of the same colour. This variety has black 

 spots between the first five spines of the dorsal, which are more visible in young than 

 in old specimens. Specimens of this variety are usually much smaller than those of 

 the preceding ones. 



Zanzibar. Red Sea. East-Indian Archipelago. 



Var. e [444 b~\. The ground-colour of the body is darker than in d, the spots on the 



