132 PEECID-E. 



third ; the fourth, fifth and sixth are longest ; and then the spines 

 become gradually shorter, except the last, which is again scarcely 

 longer than the preceding. The soft portion exhibits an entirely 

 rounded -upper margin, the rays becoming longer from the first to 

 the sixth, and shorter from the seventh to the last ; the first ray is 

 one-fourth longer than the preceding spine. The caudalis is trun- 

 cated ; but when spread out, it exhibits a rather convex posterior 

 margin with angular lobes. The analis commences a little behind 

 the commencement of the soft dorsal portion, and terminates a little 

 before the end of the dorsal ; the first spine is not very strong and 

 short, the second thick and strong, the third more slender, but rather 

 longer, and equal to the second dorsal spine. The margin of the fin 

 is rounded throughout, the second ray being the longest, and the 

 posterior ones becoming gradually shorter. The pcctoralis is com- 

 posed of eighteen rays, rounded, shorter than the ventral, and 

 covered with minute scales to one-third of the length only. The 

 ventralis reaches to the origin of the anal, the first and second 

 spines being rather long and pointed; the other rays diminish 

 gradually in length ; the length of the spine is equal to that of the 

 third dorsal spine. The canine teeth arc of moderate length ; those 

 of the lower jaw rather smaU. 



The groun^-coloiu" is reddish olive, lighter on the belly ; on each 

 side of the body are foui* series of pearl-coloured spots, each occupying 

 the place of five or six scales. The uppermost series reaches from 

 the occiput along the base of the dorsal fin to the black blotch of the 

 tail, and is composed of eight spots ; the second, following the lateral 

 line, of six ; the third, from the angle of operculum, of four ; and 

 the fouith, from the base of the pectorals, of five. There is a 

 blackish streak behind the maxillary bone. The black blotch on the 

 tail occupies nearly the whole space between the dorsal and caudal 

 fins and between the two lateral lines. The fins are nearly uni- 

 coloured ; a single pearl-coloured spot is to be seen on the seventh 

 spine and on the ventral fins ; tlie anal has a whitish edge ; ventrals 

 blackish, with whitish lateral margin ; pectorals uniform yellowish. 



Length of the specimen 11^ inches. 



This species very much resembles the S. tsirimenara, Faun. Japon. 

 p. 7. pi. 4rt. f. 3, which is said to be common in Japan, and to have 

 sixteen soft rays in the dorsjil fin. Still more remarkable is it that 

 the same plate in that work represents another fish, S. octocinctus, so 

 similar to a West Indian fish, S. mystacinus, that they cannot be 

 separated. I have sufficient proof that the native country of the 

 specimens in the British Museum is correctly stated. 



. 8. With fifteen or sixteen rays. 



74. Serranus gigas 



Perca gigas, Briinnich, Pise. Mass. p. ()5. no. 81. 



Holocentrus gigas, Bl. Schn. p. 322; I^c la Roche, Ann. Mm. xiii. p.818. 



m^rou, LacSp. i\. p. 377 ; llisso, Ichthyol. de Nice, p. 289. 



Serranus gigas, CVr. i<f Vul. ii. p. 270; Expcd. Sc. Muree, Zool. pi. lit. 

 f. 1 ; GidchiH. Krplor. i>c. Altjer. Poiss. p. 35. 



