512 TELEOSTEI. ACANTIIOPTEIIKHI. 



strong, one fourth longer than the third ; caudal emarginate, deeply 

 lunate. Colour greyish, becoming white on the abdomen ; a 

 brilliant golden band passes from the eye to the base of the caudal 

 fin, a second above it runs along a few rows of scales. Fins silvery, 

 dashed with gold, a dark band along the base of the dorsal and its 

 spinous portion with a black margin ; upper portions of soft dorsal 

 and the last half of spinous dorsal dark grey. 



Hob. Seas of India ; more common on the East than on the 

 .West coast, but nowhere numerous. 



680. (8.) Pristipoma guoraca. 



Pristipoma guoraca, Cuv. Sf Vol. H. N. Poiss. v, p. 256 ; Day, Fish. 

 India, p. 75, pi. xx, fig. 1 (see synon.J. 



D. 12-13/12-14. P. 16. A. 3/7-8. L. 1. 45-47. L. tr. 6/12. Czec. pyl. 5. 



Length of head 3^-, height of body nearly 3 iri the total length. 

 Eyes diameter 3g to 3| in length of head, 1 to 1^ from end of 

 snout and also apart. Vertical border of preopercle coarsely ser- 

 rated, also its produced and rounded angle, where the serrations 

 are wide apart, along the horizontal limb they are much blunter. 

 Fins third and fourth dorsal spines the longest. Pectoral equals 

 the length of the head ; second anal spine the longest, and striated 

 in grooves along its front edge ; caudal cut square or slightly 

 emarginate. Colour silvery, darkest along the back, and in the 

 young with an indistinct darkish band along the middle of the body ; 

 a dark spot, having steel-blue reflexions, on the opercle ; snout 

 dark ; a dark streak along the dorsal fin, most distinct in the im- 

 mature. 



Hob. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and said to have 

 been captured in fresh water. 



681. (9.) Pristipoma operculare. 



Pristipoma operculare, Play/air, Fish, Zanz. p. 24, pi. 4, fig. 1 ; Day, 

 Fish. India, p. 76, pi. xx, fig. 2. 



D. 11/14. P. 19. A. 3/9. C. 17. L.I. 57. L.tr.9/19. Ca>c.pyl.5. 



Length of head 3|, height of body 3| in the total length. Eyes 

 diameter 5 to 5| in length of head, J from end of snout, and 

 lg apart. Snout pointed. Fins the fourth dorsal spine the 

 highest. Pectoral as long as the head ; the second anal spine the 

 strongest and longest, equal to the third dorsal spine; caudal 

 emarginate. Cereal appendages very long. Colour silvery, with 

 a black blotch at the upper posterior corner of the opercle ; upper 

 half of body with numerous black spots, sometimes forming undu- 

 lating bands ; a black spot at the base of each dorsal spine and ray; 

 dorsal and caudal dark-edged ; anal blackish in its front half. 



Hob. East coast of Africa to Sind, where it is common ; attaining 

 at least 15 inches in length. 



