7. iMYRIPRlSTIS. 27 



longitudinal furrow ; this spine is as long as the first doraal 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 

 5i^ in the total. 



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

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

 only one-third of the length of the fin, and not branched as the 

 second ; the fourth and fifth are 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 dried 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 arc 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 colour appears to have been red, without any spot ; there are 

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

 silvery above the lateral hue, 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 . b\ 



Greatest height of body 2 10 



Length of fourth dorsal spine 1 1 



of third anal spine 11^ 



of ventral spine 1 2 



Height of a large scale 7 



Length of a larae scale \\\ 



13. Myripristis hexagonus. 



Lutjanus hexagonus, Laccp. iv. p. 213. 



Myripristis hexagonus, Cuv Hf Val. iii. p. 171, vii. p. 489; To//, ile 

 VAstrol., Puiss. p. 074. pi. 14. f. 5 (not good). 



D. 10 1 1. A. j^. L. lat. 33. L. transv. 3/7. 



The height of the body is tliree times m the total Icngtli, the 

 length of the head 3| ; the interspace between the eyes one-fifth of 

 the Icnglli of the head. Opercidum with a voit distinct .si^ino ; tlio 



