378 Mr. Bennett's Observations on Fishes. 



D. 11, 13. P. 15. V.;. A f C. 19. 



Tab. IX. f. 3. 



Inhabits Sumatra. 



The prevailing colour is fuscous, becoming in certain lights 

 iridescent with golden and pale blue, and marked on each side 

 by seven or eight silvery lines, which are also iridescent with blue. 

 The scales of the cheeks and the margins of the opercula are 

 ccerulescent. The membrane of the anterior dorsal fin is dark 

 fuscous, with a much paler and almost white vilta along its middle. 

 The caudal fin is forked. 



The opercula are strongly serrated, and are furnished with a 

 spine at their upper part. The prcc-upercula are finely serrated 

 along their edges, and have a strong spine at their inferior angles. 

 A fine serration extends round the orbit, and each of the scales 

 by which the body is covered is also finely serrated round its 

 posterior edge. 



Length 3 inches; breadth 1 inch. 



Described from two specimens preserved in spirit in the 

 Museum of the Zoological Society. They form part of the ex- 

 tensive and noble collection formed in Sumatra by the late Presi- 

 dent, Sir T. Stamford Rafiles, and presented by him, with his 

 characteristic liberality, to the body which gratefully acknow- 

 ledges him as its founder. 



The discrimination of the Perca pulchella from the congenerous 

 species with which I am acquainted is obvious from its specific 

 character. The longitudinal direction of the marking is by no 

 means common in the genus, in which the colours are usually dis- 

 posed iufasci(e. 



From the information of Lady Rafiles it appears that the co- 

 lours of the living fish are peculiarly beautiful. The elegance of 

 its delicate blue, mingled with the varying tints of gold, and re- 

 lieved by the silvery lines, causes it to be sought after, in its native 

 country, as an ornament of the boudoir or of the conservatory ; 

 where it is kept in globes, in a manner similar to that in which 

 Gold-fishes are preserved in Europe. 



[To be conliuued.] 



