6 MR. F, DAY ON THE FISHES OF COCHIN. __ [Jan. 10, 
vertical bands ; but these fade after death. The whole of the body 
and fins are covered with round black spots, in some places amount- 
ing to blotches. Iris olive-green, with a golden margin, 
Not very common; do not appear to attain any very large size ; 
are good eating. 
SERRANUS SEXFASCIATUS, Cuv. & Val. 
B. vii. D.U=¥. P.18. V.t. A.4. ©.17. L. x. about 100. 
16 
Length of specimens from 5 to 78; inches. 
One specimen has twelve dorsal spines and sixteen rays; conse- 
quently it is not an undeyviating rule in this genus that, should one 
spinous ray be in excess, there will be a corresponding soft ray de- 
ficient. 
Common. General length about 5 inches ; rarely, if ever, exceed- 
ing 8. 
SERRANUS DIACANTHUS, Cuy. & Val. 
Killi meen (Mal.). 
B.vii. D2. P.19. V.t. A.Z. C. 16. L. r. 90. 
Length of specimens from 5,4; to 13 inches. 
Colours. Brownish, fading into white on the abdomen. The whole 
of the fish, even over its branchiostegous rays, covered with bright 
orange spots, intermingled with brown ones on the head and tail. 
Fresh specimens have five vertical bands, which often fade after death. 
Tn the young fish these bands are more distinct and persistent ; 
whilst the general ground-colour is leaden, and the orange spots less 
marked. 
Plentiful ; excellent eating ; and fish from 10 to 15 lbs. weight are 
considered of fair size, but they grow much larger. 
SERRANUS LANCEOLATUS, Bloch. 
Serranus horridus, Cuv. & Val. 
Kurrupu (Mal.). 
B.vii. Dig. P.19. Vz. A.Z. C.17. Li. 90 to 105. 
Length of specimens 7;,, 135, and 22,5 inches. 
The Serranus lanceolatus and the 8. horridus have been so accu- 
rately described by Cantor and others that a recapitulation appears 
to be unnecessary. In the smallest of these three specimens the 
comparative length of the spines exceeds the proportion to that of 
the soft rays which exists in the larger specimens. But the same 
alteration of the comparative length with age also obtains in the 
young specimens of the 8. diacanthus, 
Colours. These vary exceedingly with the age of the fish, so much 
so that the beautiful young has been named S. Janceolatus, and the 
old S. horridus ; whilst, curiously enough, not only do the Malays 
(according to Cantor) recognize this fish, the ‘‘ Ikan krapu,”’ as being 
the same in both its liveries, but so do also the natives of Malabar. 
