PSETJDOSCARUS. 109 



recognized by the powerfully developed jaws, which have the edge distinctly denti- 

 culated, the small eye, and the peculiar shape of the praoperculum. 



The following is the colour in life of three distinct varieties : — 



Var. a [509]. Jaws green. Caudal truncated. Body green, each scale with a 

 purple base, except on the extremity of the tail, which is entirely green. Snout 

 purple ; upper lip with a red margin next the jaw ; throat blue : a red margin to lower 

 lip, extending as far as the cheek-scales ; a red spot at the symphysis of the lower jaw, 

 and a red line from the first scale of the lower cheek-series across throat and down 

 margin of inter operculum ; one or two red spots on interoperculum. Dorsal green, 

 with a yellow median band and a blue margin. Anal green, with a purple base and a 

 blue margin. Pectorals green ; a red streak along the second ray. Caudal green, with 

 a blue margin. — Length 10 inches. 



Var. b [522]. Jaws rosy, with two conical teeth at the angle of the upper jaw. The 

 caudal lobes slightly produced. Colour purple brown, each scale with a darker basal 

 membrane, except on the extremity of the tail, which, like var. a, is lighter than the 

 rest of the body. Snout rich deep brown. Dorsal brown, with a black median band 

 and marginal line. Anal and ventral darker. Pectorals yellow, with a brown base. — 

 Length 10 inches. 



Var. c [512]. Jaws grey. Caudal lobes somewhat produced. Body rose-coloured, 

 lips green ; dorsal reddish, with a green marginal line. Anal green, with a red margin 

 and a green marginal line. Caudal with narrow upper and lower green margins and a 

 broad green margin posteriorly. — Length 13 inches. 



Zanzibar. Java. 



370. Pseudoscarus chloromelas, sp. n. Plate XV. fig. 1. [617.] 



D ^ A ? 



\J. 1Q . A.. 9 . 



Jaws grey, very strong, distinctly denticulated on the margins, and with one or two 

 conical teeth at the posterior angle of the upper jaw. Lips rather narrow, double only 

 posteriorly. Forehead swollen. Two series of scales on the cheek, each of which 

 contains five scales, the praeopercular limb being entirely naked. Caudal slightly 

 convex. Dorsal spines subequal. Fifteen pectoral rays. 



The naked portions of the head deep blue, the general colour of the rest of the 

 head and body black : the body-scales are irregularly marked with opaque yellow 

 green; some have one or more spots, others irregularly curved lines, others annuli, 

 while others have a large spot in the centre. Dorsal blue black, with a pale blue 

 margin, broadest in front, and a series of irregular green spots along the base and 

 middle. Anal greenish, with a blue margin, a brown intramarginal and basal band, 

 with a series of similarly coloured spots between them. Ventrals and pectorals blue 



