446 TELEOSTEI. ACANTIIOPTERYGII. 



not produced. Teeth a narrow band along the centre of the 

 tongue. Fiiis dorsal spines of moderate length, increasing to the 

 fourth, rays rather higher than the spines ; anal spines rather 

 strong, the third the longest, and equal to four fifths of the 

 highest in the dorsal fin ; caudal cut square in the young, but 

 slightly emarginate in the adult. Scales rather strongly ctenoid. 

 Colour dark purplish, lighter on the abdomen, the whole head 

 and body as low as the pectoral fin, the dorsal and upper third of 

 caudal covered with large, closely approximating, rather dark-edged 

 blotches of yellow, which are rounded or hexagonal, those on the 

 head being the smallest. Fins a little darker than the body, and 

 stained with black at their edges ; dorsal with a white margin ; 

 pectoral orange, upper half of caudal lighter than lower. 



Hob. Seas of Bombay and Madras ; attaining at least 2 feet in 

 length. 



563. (4.) Serranus undulosus. 



Bodianus undulosus, Quoy $ Gaim. Voy. Urania et Physicicnne, Poiss. 



p. 310. 

 Serranus undulosus, Day, Fish. India, p. 13, pi. ii, fig. 1, Sujypl. 



p. 780 (see synon.). 



D.ll/17-19. A. 3/8-9. L.r.135/130. L.tr. 20/48. Csec.pyl. above 50. 



Length of head from 3| to 3|, height of body 3| in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 4 to 5 in length of head, 1 to 1^ from 

 end of snout, and to f apart. Preopercle serrated along its 

 vertical edge, and with from two to four strong denticulations at 

 its angle. Fins dorsal spines moderate, the third to the fifth the 

 longest, and nearly as high as the rays ; second anal spine the 

 strongest and nearly as long as the third ; caudal cut square in 

 the adult, but rather rounded in the young. Scales ctenoid. 

 Colour reddish grey, becoming lighter on the abdomen ; numerous 

 longitudinal narrow brown (blue ?) stripes of varying length, and 

 usually somewhat sinuous, above the lateral line, more or less 

 horizontal below it ; dots and yellow lines on the head ; fins rather 

 dark, and stained at their edges. 



Nab. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and China ; not 

 uncommon at Madras, where the young are numerous during the 

 cold season. This fish attains at least 4 feet in length. 



564. (5.) Serranus gilberti. 



Serranus merra, Day, Fish. India, p. 13, pi. ii, fig. 2 (nee Block ?) 



(see synon.). 

 Serranus gilberti, Richardson, A. M. N. H. ix, 1842, p. 19 j Day, 



Fish. India, p. 746. 



D. 11/16-17. P. 18. A. 3/8-9. C. 17. L.r. 90/82. L.tr. 16/32. 

 Length of head 3| to 3|, height of body 3| to 4 in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 4 to 4| in length of head, | diam. from 

 end of snout and apart. Snout obtuse. Preopercle rounded, its 

 vertical boarder coarsely but evenly serrated. Central opercular 

 spine well developed. Fins dorsal spines rather strong, the fourth 



