THE SLY EPIBULUS. 



351 



Even on our own coasts the Labridte are most lovely creatures, but it is in tho tropical 

 and warmer seas of the world that they are to be seen in their full brilliancy. No artist 

 can transfer to paper the radiant hues that glow on these favoured members of the finny 

 race, and no pen can do justice to their wondrous splendour, as they dart through tho 

 crystalline water like living meteors, or leisurely traverse the forests of moving algae, 

 balancing themselves among the submarine foliage like humming-birds of the sea. 



The CHEQUEEED SWINE-FISH is one of the singular species which are so frequent in 

 the hotter seas, and which exhibit a surface at once coloured with the brightest hues, and 

 decorated with a pattern as geometrically regular as if drawn by the aid of rule and compass. 

 This fish is found on the coasts of Ceylon. Its colour is bright green on the back, 

 gradually changing to golden yellow towards the abdomen. The chequered marks on the 

 body are purple arid grey, and the stripes and spots on the head are rich glowing orange. 

 In allusion to the wicker-like markings and the brilliant colours of the fish, the natives 

 call it by ^he name of Hembili Girawah ; the former word signifying the little basket in 

 which betel is carried, and the latter a parrot. 



Though edible, this fish is not regularly captured for the markets. It generally 

 frequents the rocky portions of the coast. It never attains any great dimensions, none 

 seeming to measure more than fifteen inches in length. 



SLY &P1BULU3. Epibulus insidia'.or. 



THE curious fish which is represented in the accompanying illustration, has derived its 

 popular and scientific titles from the crafty manner in which it obtains its food. 



In this fish, the mouth and jaws exhibit a very remarkable modification of structure, 

 which enables the creature to protrude its mouth with great rapidity, and to such a 

 degree, that when pushed forward to its greatest extent, it is even longer than the head. 

 Aided by this apparatus, tbe SLY EPIBULTIS captures its prey as follows. It feeds mostly 

 upon small fishes, and instead of alarming them by charging among their ranks, and so 

 giving itself a tedious and possibly an unsuccessful chase, it quietly withdraws itself to 

 some sheltered spot, and waits, still and motionless as the watchful kingfisher, and no less 

 dangerous to the smaller members of the finny tribe. No sooner does an unwary fish pass 

 nef r the cunning enemy, deceived by its apparent harmlessness, than the movable mouth 



