208 



ZOOLOGY. 



[Part II. 



like the Eed Sea Perch (Helocentrus ruber, Bennett) 

 and the Great Fire Fish \ are of the deepest scarlet and 

 flame colour ; in others purple predominates, as in the 

 Serranus flavo-ccBi^uleiis ; in others yellow, as in the Choe- 

 todon Brownriggii'^, and Acanthurus vittatus, Bennett^, 

 and numbers, from the lustrous green of their scales, 

 have obtained from the natives the appropriate name of 

 Giraway, or parrots, of which one, the Sparus Hard- 

 ivickii of Bennett, is called the " Flower Parrot," from its 

 exquisite colouring, being barred with irregular bands of 

 blue, crimson, and purple, green, yellow, and grey, and 

 crossed by perpendicular stripes of black. 



Fresh-water Fishes. — Of the fresh-water fish, which 

 inhabit the rivers and tanks, so very little has hitherto 

 been known to naturahsts^, that of nineteen drawings 



^ Pkrois muricata, Cuv. and Val. 

 iv. 363. Scorpmia miles, Bennett ; 

 named, by the Singhalese, " Maha- 

 rata-gini,^^ the Great Red Fire, a very 

 brilliant red species spotted with 

 black. It is very voracious, and is 

 regarded on some parts of the coast 

 as edible, while on others it is re- 

 jected. Mr. Bennett has given a 

 drawing of this species, (pi. 9), so 

 well marked by the armatiu-e of the 

 head. The French naturalists re- 

 gard this figure as being only a 

 highly-colom-ed variety of their spe- 

 cies " dont I'eclat est occasionne par 

 la saison de I'amour." It is found in 

 the Red Sea and Bourbon and Pe- 

 nang. Dr. Caktok calls it Pterois 

 miles, and reports that it preys upon 

 small crustaceoe. — Cat. Malayan 

 lishes, p. 44. 



"^ GlyiMsodon Broimirigyii, Cuv. 

 and Val. v. 484 ; Choetodon Broion- 

 riggii, Bennett. A very smaU fish 

 about two inches long, called Kaha 

 bartikgha by the natives. It is 

 distinct from Choetodon, in which 

 Mr. Bennett placed it. Numerous 

 species of this genus are scattered 

 throughout the Indian Ocean. It 

 derives its name from the fine hair- 

 like character of its teeth. They 

 are foimd chiefly among caral reefs, 



and, though eaten, are not much 

 esteemed. In the French colonies 

 they are called " Chaufle-soleil." One 

 species is found on the shores of the 

 New World {G. saxatilis), and it is 

 curious that Messrs. Quoy and Gai- 

 mard found this fish at the Cape de 

 Verde Islands in 1827. 



* This fish has a sharp roimd spine 

 on the side of the body near the 

 tail ; a formidable weapon, which is 

 generally partially concealed within 

 a scabbard-like incision. The fish 

 raises or depresses this spine at plea- 

 sure. It is yellow, with several nearly 

 parallel blue stripes on the back and 

 sides ; the belly is white, the tail and 

 tins brownish green, edged with blue. 



It is foimd in rocky places ; and 

 according to Mr. Bennett, who has 

 figured it in his second plate, it is 

 named Seivega. It is scarce on the 

 southern coast of Ceylon. 



* In extenuation of the little that 

 is known of the fresh-water fishes of 

 Ceylon, it may be observed that very 

 few of them are used at table by 

 Europeans, and there is therefore no 

 stimulus on the part of the natives 

 to catch them. The burbot and 

 grey mullet are occasionally eaten, 

 l)ut they taste of mud, and are not in 

 request. 



