214 AUGUST. 



spots in the wings of many butterflies and moths. As 

 if conscious of its beauty, the fish travels with all sail 

 set, and thus shows its characteristic mark to advantage. 



The body is varied with different hues of brown, 

 black, and grey, the deeper colours forming transverse 

 bands on the upper parts ; while along each side run two 

 rows of spots of pearly azure, defined by a dark edge. 



Just in front of each eye there is a small appendage 

 which looks like a small horn, with the tip and edge 

 cut into segments; it is but a projection of the skin. 

 Several other species of the genus have similar orna- 

 ments on various parts of the face and head : I have no 

 conception of their use in the economy of the tribe. 



There is a curious peculiarity in the eye of this fish, 

 which I do not perceive in the Shanny, nor in any other 

 species. On looking cursorily at it, you would suppose 

 that it had a very widely-opened pupil, surrounded by 

 a white line, which appears Ho be the interior edge of 

 the iris. But on watching it with a lens, the whole of 

 this dark area within the white circle is seen to be 

 prominent, convex, and opaque, of a substance which 

 reflects the richest metallic lustre, sometimes turquoise 

 blue, but changing in other lights to a bronzed or 

 gilded appearance ; not, however, as if burnished, but 

 as if dusted with metal filings. In the centre of this 

 area a pupil alternately opens and closes, expanding 



