60 pomacenteidjE. 



8. HELIASTES. 



Chromis, sp., Cuv. Higne Anim. 

 Heliases, Cur. Sf Vol. v. p. 493. 

 Furcaria, Poey, Mem, Cub. ii. p. 194. 



Praeoperculum not denticulated. Teeth small, conical, in a narrow 

 band or irregular series. Dorsal fin with twelve to fourteen spines, 

 anal with two. Scales of moderate size ; the lateral line ceases 

 below the posterior portion of the dorsal fin. Branchiostegals five ; 

 gills three and a half; pseudobranchiae present ; pyloric appendages 

 two. 



Tropical seas, extending to the Mediterranean and to the coasts of 

 Japan and Chile. 



1. Heliastes chromis. 



? Xpofiis, Aristot. iv. c. 8, 9, v. c. 9, viii. c. 19 * ; ^lian, ix. c. 7, x. 



c. 11. 

 Chromis, Rondel, v. c. 21. p. 152; Gesner, pp. 223, 264 ; Aldrov. ii. 



c. 14. p. 168 ; Jonston, i. tit. 3. c. 1. art. 7. taf. 17. fig. 14; Willughhy, 



p. 330 ; Rmj, Syn. p. 141. 

 Sparus, Artedi, Syn. p. 62. no. 12, and Genera, p. 37. no. 10. 

 Sparus chromis, L. Syst.Nat. i. p. 470; Lacep. iv. p. 146; Risso, Ichth. 



Nice, p. 254. 

 Chromis chromis, Cuv. Regne Anim. 

 castanea, Risso, Eur. Merid. iii. p. 343 ; Cuv. Regne Anim. Ill, 



Poiss. pi. 90. fig. 1 (half-grown) ; Nordm. ■ in Demid. Voy. Russ. 



Merid. iii. p. 384. pi. 16. fig. 1. 

 Heliases limbatus, Cuv. 8f Val. ix. p. 511 (adult). 

 castaneus, Miill. Berl. Ahhandl. 1844, p. 168. 



I^-I^r A-f^r L.lat. 26-28. L. transv. ?^. 



The height of the body is one-half or two-fifths of the total length 

 (the caudal not included). Dorsal spines rather strong ; the length 

 of the second anal spine is considerably more than one-half of that 

 of the head ; caudal fin forked. Brown, shining golden ; snout, chin 

 and thorax shining silvery. The spinous dorsal and the four anterior 

 rays black, the rest whitish. Caudal fin whitish, with a broad upper 

 and lower black margin ; anal black, whitish posteriorly. 



Immature specimens more uniform brownish, with silvery shining 

 longitudinal bands. 



a. Fine specimen : seven inches long. Madeira. Presented by the 



Kev. R. T. Lowe. 

 h. Adult. Madeira. From the Haslar Collection. 



c. Half-grown. Mediterranean. From the Berlin Museum. 



d. Half-grown. Cannes. Presented by Th. GUnther, M.D. 



e. Half-grown. Coast of Dalmatia. 



f-h. Adult and half-grown : bad state. Malta. From the Haslar 



Collection. 

 i-k, 1, m. Half-grown. 



* The Chromis of the ancients appears to be some Sciaenoid fish. 



