13. scoLOPSis. 355 



third of the latter, and longer than the snout. The infraorbital ring 

 with two prominent spines ; the anterior spuaiferous plate rather 

 elevated, and denticulated beneath the spine ; pr8eo])erculum with a 

 shght notch above the angle. The spines of the fins strong ; the 

 second of the anal fin longer and rather stronger than the third, 

 nearly one-half of the length of the head. Caudalis slightly forked. 

 Coloration uniform. 



Red Sea ; Coast of Pondicherry ; Chinese Sea. 



a. Adult : stuffed. Cliina. Presented by J. R. Reeves, Esq. 

 h, c. Adult: skins. Ceylon. Collected by E. F. Kelaart, M.D. 



The notice given by Sir J. Richardson (I. c.) is taken from spe- 

 cimen a. ; it shows the tw^o infraorbital spines, one of which is di- 

 rected hackAvards, the other forwards, as conspicuously as in nny 

 species of Scolo2)sis. Therefore the statement of Sir J. Richardson, 

 " two suborbitar teeth pointing backwards, one under the other and 

 more slender, none pointing forwards," is erroneous. 



2. Scolopsis margaritifer. 



Cur. ^- Vul. V. p. 337; Bleaker, Verliand. Batav. Genootsch. xxiii. 

 Sciccn. p. 30. 



D. ^. A. |. L. lat. 40. L. transv. 4/15. 



The height of the body is 3^-3^ in the total length, the length 

 of the head 4^-41 ; the diameter of the eye is 2|- in the latter, 

 longer than the snout, and equal to the distance between the eyes. 

 Pra^orbital half as wide as the orbit, with a very long and strong 

 spine, and some denticulations beneath ; the second (third) infra- 

 orbital terminating posteriorly in a small point, above the tip of the 

 large spine. Praeoperculum with strong and short spinous teeth, 

 each of which has a small hook at the base ; the angle projecting 

 backwards, strongly armed. The spines of the fijis moderate ; the 

 second of the anal stronger, but rather shorter than the third, which 

 is 2|^ in the length of the head. Caudalis forked, the upper lobe 

 longest. Greenish olive, each scale with a pearl-coloured base. The 

 marginal half of the dorsal violet. 



Sea of Batavia ; Waigiou. 



«. Fine specimen. From the Haslar Collection. 



3. Scolopsis ciliatus. 



Holocentrus ciliatus, Lacep. iv. pp. 383, 371. 

 Lycogeuis argyrosoma, Kuhl 8f van Hasselt. 

 Scolopsides lycogenis, Cuv. ^ Val. v. p. 346. pi. 127. 



B. 5. D, i^. A. |. L. lat. 41. L. transv. 4/15. Ca3C. pylor. 5. 



Vert. 10/14. 



The height of the body is 3^ in the total length, the length of the 

 head 4| ; the snout is rather shorter than the diameter of the eye, 



2 A 2 



