7. MYEIPKISTIS. 27 



longitudinal furrow ; this spine is as long as the first dorsal one. The 

 first ray is articulated, but not bifid ; the second is longest, even a 

 little longer than the longest dorsal ray ; the following rays gradu- 

 ally decrease in length, and the end of the anal falls short behind 

 that of the dorsal. 



The caudal fin is moderately forked, and its length is contained 

 5^ in the total. 



The pectorals reach to the level of the anus, are rather pointed, 

 and their base falls below the fiji'st dorsal spine. The first ray is 

 only one-thii'd of the length of the fin, and not branched as the 

 second ; the fourth and fifth arc longest. 



The ventrals are shorter than the pectorals, placed immediately 

 below their root, and do not reach as far behind ; they are com- 

 posed of a strong, flat, striated spine, not much shorter than the 

 longest ray, and of seven branched rays. There is a deformity on 

 one side of one of the specimens, which, if present on both the sides, 

 or in a diicd specimen, one-half of which only is preserved, might 

 lead to the creation of a nominal species, or even genus : viz. on the 

 right side there are, besides the long outer spine, five rays only, and 

 a small inner spine instead of the two others. The spines of all the 

 fins are striated. 



The scales are smooth, finely and equally serrated on the posterior 

 edge ; the largest ones are placed, not in the lateral line, but in 

 two series below that ; they are twice as high as long, and one of 

 the largest covers not even one-third of the eye. 



The colom- appears to have been red, Avithout any spot ; there are 

 longitudinal bands visible along each series of scales ; the bands are 

 silvery above the lateral line, and slightly reddish (shining golden 

 in life ?) beneath. 



inches, lines. 



Total length 7 5 



Length of head 2 8 



of eye 9 



Interspace between the eyes 5\ 



Greatest height of body 2 10 



Length of fourth dorsal spine 1 1 



of third anal spine 11^ 



of ventral spme 1 2 



Height of a large scale 7 



Length of a large scale 3^ 



13. Myripristis hexagonus. 



Lutjanus hexagonus, Lucep. iv. p. 213. 



Myi-ipristis hexagonus, Cuv. ^ Val. iii. p. 171, vii. p. 489; Votj. dc 

 VAstrol, Poiss. p. 674. pi. 14. f. 5 (not good). 



D. 10 I -. A. p. L. hit. 33. L. transv. 3 '7. 



I U 13 ' 



The height of the body is three times in the total lengtli, the 

 length of the head 31 ; the interspace between the eyes one-fifth of 

 the length of the head. Operculum with a veiy distinct spine ; the 



