8. PKKCAL4BRAX. 71 



smooth. Two dorsals, the first with cleveu, the aiuil fin with thi-ee 

 epmes. Upercuhun with two points; pneopercuhim serrated be- 

 hind, and with strong spinons teeth beneath; pneorbital entire. 

 . Scales rather small. Nnmljer of pyloric appendages increased (13). 

 Shores of China and Japan. 



1. Percalabrax japonicus. 



Labra.x japonicus, Cm: H,- Veil. ii. p. 85. 

 Percalabrax japonicus, Fuuti. Japan, p. 2. pi. 2. f. 1. 

 Lateolabrax japonicus, Bhck. 1. c. 



^- 11 1 T^V ^"^^ I- <^'«^^"- Pyloi-- i3. Vert. 16/19. 



Total length equal to somewhat more than four times the height 

 of body ; inferior edge of pra3opercnlum with five spinous teeth, 

 du-ected foi-wards. Eack greenish grey, with round blackish spots ; 

 first dorsal fin spotted. 



Chinese and Japanese seas. 



a. Adult. China. Presented by J. E. Peeves, Esq. 



b. Adult. China. Presented by the East India Company. 



c. Adult. China. From the Haslar Collection. 



d. Half-grown. China. 



e. Young. China. Presented by the East India Company. 

 /. Young. Chnsan. Presented by the East India Company. 

 fj. Young. Chnsan. Presented by the East India Companv. 

 h. Adult: .stuffed. Japan. 



i. Young : stuffed. China. Presented by J. R. Reeves, Esq. 

 k. Intestines of specimen h. 



This species is in general appearance allied to Lates, exhibiting 

 also a concavity of the upper profile of head ; and the tongue is 

 smooth, without teeth ; but the pseuclohrancliice are as much deve- 

 loped as in the species of Labrax. 



SMeton. — The skuU is rather flat above, the paroccipital crest 

 not much elevated above the level, not extending beyond the supra- 

 occipital, and acutely pointed behind. The muciferous channels are 

 not, or very moderately, developed, as for instance that between the 

 orbits. The siiborbital arch ^vith an inteiior flat process ; the max- 

 illary bone \\athout process, and with divergent straight-lined mar- 

 gins. Operculum with two points, both acute, the upper short, the 

 lower veiy elongate. The hinder limb of the pra;operculum is 

 minutely serrated, the angle and the lower limb bear four or five 

 strong spinous teeth, dii-ected forward ; the sub- and inter- operculum 

 are entii-e. The neural spines of the first ten vertebraj are strong and 

 broad ; the fii-st interhoennxl is exceedingly strong ; the plates between 

 the two bony centres of this bone (between the interhiemal of the 

 first, sh(n-t anal spine and that of the second, strong one) are not 

 united, forming a deep sheath ; it is attached to the ha:-mals of the 

 seventeenth and eighteenth vertebrae. 



