ON THE ICHTHYOLOGY OF THE SEAS OF CHINA AND JAPAN, 281 
‘Chinese name, Tze leen ta sha, “ Minute-scaled sole” (Reeves); Sai lin 
tat sha (Bridgem. Chrest. 205). . 
Besides the straight central) lateral line, another runs along the back at a little distance 
fromthe fin, and is continued round the snout to the mouth; and a third runs in like man- 
ner, near the edge of the belly forward to the gill-opening. A transverse line crosses the 
nape, connecting the upper and middle lines, and another cross line, originating from the true 
lateral line a little further forwards, descends on the temples, and there divides; one branch 
encircling the gill-cover; and another, descending the preoperculum and running forwards to 
the point of the lower lip. Eyes over the posterior corner of the mouth. Colour pmber- 
brown, the fins yellowish-brown without spots, but the gill-cover and middle of the body are 
darker and shading off. The defined black patch which includes the-gill-cover in Mr. Gray’s 
figure is merely a darker brown shading off in Mr. Reeves’s drawing. 
Hab. Coasts of China. Canton. 
PLAGIUSA MELAMPETALA, Richardson. Jcon. Reeves, 150; Hardw. Malac. 
985. Chinese name, Hih leén ta sha, “ Black-scaled sole” (Birch); Hih 
lin tat sha (Reeves); Hak lun tar sha (Bridgem. Chrest. 207). 
This is a large scaled species with two lines, as in bilineata (Bloch, 188, the Jerree potoo, 
E, Russell, 74, and Pl. potous, Cuv., Jerree potoo, D, Russell, 73), but with the dorsal not shown 
further forwards than the gill-opening. The general colour is dark chestnut-brown, with an 
obscure clouding of umber-brown, a large grayish blotch behind the gill-openings, and an- 
other near the hinder part of the anal. The fins are bluish- or blackish-gray. Eyes over 
the mouth. Height of body equal to the length of the head, or to one-fourth of the length 
of the body, excluding the fins. Length of figure 134 inches. 
Hah. Coasts of China. Canton. 
PLAGIUSA FAVosQuAMIs, Icon. Reeves, 3. 50; Hardw. Malac. 281. Chinese 
name, Meih leén ta, “Small-scaled sole” (Birch); Meth lin tat sha, 
“Close-sealed sole” (Reeves) ; Mat lin tat sha (Bridgem. Chrest. 206). 
This species has proportionally larger scales than the preceding one. The dorsal com- 
mences over the middle of the mouth and before the eyes. The mouth has a smooth flesh- 
coloured edge, and the form of the body is elongated, its height equalling the length of the 
head, and being contained four times in the total length. Colour chestnut-brown, darker 
along the middle of the back, and each scale marked near the margin by a streak of umber- 
brown. Length about 93 inches. 
Hab. Coasts of China. Canton. 
Tribus ? 
Fam. SILURIDZ. 
SILURUS xANTHOSTEUS, Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Sulph. p. 133. pl. 56. 
f.12-14. Icon. Reeves, 102; Hardw. Malac. 142, 143 (duplicates). Chi- 
nese name, Hwang hih, “ Yellow bone” (Birch); Hwang hwi (Reeves) ; 
Wong kwat u (Bridgem. Chrest. 190). 
The British Museum possesses Chinese examples of this fish presented by Mr. Reeves, and 
two specimens from Chusan, which were collected there by Dr. Cantor, and came from him 
through the India House, labelled S. punctatus and nanus. The labels have evidently been 
accidentally transposed, and could not have been attached by Dr. Cantor to these specimens, as 
they want the black lateral spots and black edges to the pectorals, which he mentions in his 
description of punctatus, and no account of a species named zanus is contained in his paper 
on the Fauna of Chusan. 
Hab. Canton (Reeves). Chusan (Cantor). 
Siturus sinensis, Lacép. v. pp. 58 et 82. pl. 2. f. 1 (Le silure chinois). 
M‘Clelland, Calc. Journ. iv. p.402. Icon. Reeves, 131; Hardw. Malac. 
141. Chinese name, Léen yu, “ Sickle fish” (Birch); Lin yu (Reeves) ; 
Lim u (Bridgem. Chrest. 191). 
This and the preceding species belong to the group of Siluri, which have short faces and 
Projecting lower jaws, embracing the upper lip when the mouth is shut, and giving them, 
together with an accompanying elevation of the shoulder, more or less the aspect of a Schilbe. 
8. zanthosteus is distinguished at once from the present species by the union of the anal and 
