ELEOTEIS. 75 



There are seventeen longitudinal series of scales between the origins of the dorsal 

 and anal fins; the prBeoperculum is furnished with a spine directed downwards; the 

 scales on the upper surface of the head are small, extending to between the eyes. 

 The height of the body is contained five times and a half in the total length, the 

 length of the head three times and a half in the same. The head is broad and 

 depressed, as is also the snout; the lower jaw does not project much beyond the 

 upper one. The diameter of the eye is about one-seventh of the length of the 

 head, and three-fifths of the width of the interorbital space ; the maxillary extends 

 to below the middle of the eye. The teeth are arranged in villiform bands ; the caudal 

 is short and rounded. 



Colour dark brown ; dorsal and anal punctulated with black. — Length 5^ inches. 



Mozambique. 



We have named this species after Sr. Joao da Costa Soares of Mozambique. 



252. Eleotris microlepis. Plate IX. fig. 5. [612.] 



Eleotris microlepis, Bleek. Nat. Tydschr. Ned. hid. 1856, Banda, v. p. 102 ; G'unth. Fish. iii. 



p. 132. 

 Eleotriodes microlepis, Bleek. I. c. 1858, Coram, p. 212. 



D. 6 | ^. A. 26=27. 



Body elongate, slightly compressed; mouth very protractile, its cleft oblique, the 

 lower jaw projecting beyond the upper. The height of the body is one-eighth, and that 

 of the head one-sixth of the total length. 



Several series of teeth in the upper jaw, with an outer series of larger ones; a single 

 series on the sides of the lower jaw, several in front. Dorsal spines slender, flexible, 

 the sixth somewhat remote from the others ; the rays of the soft dorsal are simple and 

 much higher than the body. The anal rays are branched and equal in height to the 

 body. Caudal subtruncated ; its length is contained five times and a half in that of the 

 body. Scales minute, imbedded in the skin. 



Colour in spirits. — Uniform light yellowish, with some wavy pearly bands on the 

 sides of the head ; a deep-black streak across the base of the lower two-thirds of the 

 pectoral rays. 



Colour in life. — Pale greenish, with a number of very faint flesh-coloured cross bands, 

 those on the front part straight, the remainder crescent-shaped, the horns pointing- 

 forward ; these cease before the tail, on which are about three similar longitudinal 

 bands, which are continued on the caudal fin. Snout brilliant green. One or two 

 blue wavy lines on the snout and opercles ; base of pectorals blue, with a black crescent- 

 shaped line. First dorsal with a green base, above which is a blue band ; the rest of 

 the fin is flesh-coloured. Second dorsal ray very faint orange ; the rays, and a line 

 between each pair, parallel to them, a little darker than the rest of the fin. Anal 



L 2 



