26. SEKRANUS. 131 



spots of light blue ; fins immaculate ; a large quadrangular blao.k 

 spot on the back of tail. 

 Coast of Brazil. 



73. Serranus margaritifer. (Plate IX. fig. B.) 

 D. {i. A. 4. L. lat. 85. 



Caudalis truncated. The height of the body is equal to the length 

 of the head, and 3^ in the total ; the diameter of the eye is one-fifth 

 of the length of the head. Pra^operculum finely serrated behind, 

 with some coarse and obtuse teeth at the angle, and a single one on 

 the lower Mmb, not directed forward ; sub- and interoperculum 

 minutely serrated. Ventrals reaching to the origin of the anal fin, 

 pectorals shorter. Keddish olive, with four series of pearl- coloui'ed 

 spots of moderate size. A broad black blotch crossing the back of 

 the tail. 



a. Adult. South America. Presented by Sir B. Schomburgk. 



Description. — The body is rather elevated ; its greatest height is 

 between the base of the dorsal and pectoral fiLos, equal to the length 

 of the head, and contained 3^ in the total. Taking the distance 

 between the dorsal and caudal fins = 1, it is contained 4^ in the 

 length of the base of the dorsal, and 1|- in the base of the anal, and 

 is nearly equal to one-third of the distance between the dorsal fin 

 and the snout. The distance between the eyes is scarcely more than 

 the diameter of the eye, and covered with scales, which extend for- 

 ward beyond the nostiils, on the praeorbital, and in a narrow band on 

 the upper maxillarj' bone. The length of the snout from the eye is 

 more than the diameter of the eye. The upper maxillary bone does 

 not reach to the level of the posterior margin of the eye. The man- 

 dibulary is covered with minute scales, and is longer than one-half of 

 the length of the head. The lips are thick and fleshy. The posterior 

 limb of the praeoperculum is nearly straight, minutely serrated, with 

 very coarse denticulations at the angle ; there is a single strong an:d 

 obtiase spinous tooth on the lower hmb, at some distance from the 

 other teeth, half concealed in the skin, and pointing downwai'ds. 

 The sub- and interoperculum exhibit a serrature near their meeting 

 angles ; the operculum terminates in three conspicuous, flat, tri- 

 angular teeth, the upper of which is the most distant, the middle 

 the longest, but not veiy prominent, and the lower the shortest and 

 the most feeble. The suprascapular bone is concealed by the ordinary 

 scales. 



The base of the dorsalis is nearly free, but a tapering row of sciales 

 runs up between each pair of spines and rays to half the height of 

 the fiin. The spinous portion is rather lower, but longer than the 

 soft, and has a convex upper margin ; the membrane between the 

 spines is deeply notched, and there is behind the top of each spine a 

 small membranaceous appendage. The first spine is the shortest, 

 half the- size of the second ; the second two- thirds the length of the 



