140 S. CYANOSTIGMA. 



over with minute clear blue ; the spiny part of 

 the dorsal fin bordered with orange ; the soft 

 portion, and all the other fins, bordered with the 

 same blue as that of the spots. It. will stand as 

 the S. cyanostigma of Kuhl and Von Hasselt. 

 Another equally so is the S. myriaster of Russel, 

 of a brownish purple, and also covered with a 

 thousand stars of transparent blue. Another 

 curious fish is entirely of a brick red, with nume- 

 rous white spots, and, in addition, is marked 

 transversely with six bands of black, whence J-t 

 has been termed S. sexfasciatus. 



Before quitting this genus, or rather great 

 division, it may be remarked, that in the lining, 

 spotting, or banding, which so curiously and 

 beautifully diversify the skins of these fishes, 

 blue is one of the most prevailing colours. A 

 half nearly are so marked, while it will be seen 

 continued in the next fishes, (Plate XXII.) which 

 Cuvier has placed in a small genus, and which, he 

 remarks, he only separates for the sake of simpli- 

 fying the nomenclature. This has all the charac- 

 ters of Serranus, but differs in having the edge of 

 the preopercles, around and below the angle, 

 divided into teeth, varying in size, directed 

 obliquely forward, and somewhat resembling the 

 teeth or points in the rowel of a spur, whence he 

 has named the genus Plectropoma.* The scales 

 * vXtjxrgov, a spur ; jr^, a covering. 



