700 MR. F. DAY ON NEW INDIAN FISHES. [JunC 27, 



Fins. Dorsal spines moderately strong, and nearl)' as high as the 

 rays, the interspinous membrane but slightly eniarginate. Anal — 

 first spine half as long as the second, which is of equal length but 

 weaker than the third. Caudal wedge-shaped, its central rays being 

 slightly the longest. 



Scales small. 



The lateral line is parallel with the back in the upper third of 

 the body. 



Colours. For the most part greenish olive, becoming dull yellow 

 on the abdomen. An irregularly shaped, broad, whitish blue band 

 passes from the posterior superior margin of the orbit across the 

 occiput to meet a similar one from the opposite side. Two more 

 pass from the lower and posterior margins of the orbit to the base of 

 the pectoral fin. Another proceeds from the upper margin of the 

 prseopercle, at first backwards ; and opposite the posterior third of 

 the pectoral it curves upwards to the middle of the hard dorsal, on 

 to which it is continued. A small patch of colour similar to these 

 bands is present in front of the base of the dorsal. Another band 

 proceeds from the posterior extremity of the pectoral to the anterior 

 portion of the soft dorsal. Two more similar vertical bands cross 

 the base of the tail, and several shorter marks exist over the body. 

 Hard dorsal nearly black ; soft dorsal and other fins yellow. Eye 

 golden. 



Serranus grammicus, sp. nov. 



B.vii. D. 11/12. P. 19. V. 1/5. A. 3/8. C. 17. L. 1. 90. 



Length of specimen 15 inches. 



Length of head |^, of pectoral ^, of base of dorsal spines nearly \, 

 of base of dorsal rays \, of base of anal ^, of caudal 4- of the total 

 length. Height of head A, of body f , of dorsal spines -^, of dorsal 

 rays a little more than ^, of anal spines -^, of anal rays ^ of the 

 total length. 



Eye. Upper margin close to the profile ; diameter -^ of length of 

 head, 1 diameter apart, 1^ diameter from end of snout. 



Body rather elongated ; dorsal and anal profiles equally convex. 



Cleft of mouth rather deep ; posterior extremity of upper jaw 

 extending to beneath the posterior margin of the orbit. Vertical 

 limb of prseopercle slightly produced at its angle, finely serrated in 

 its upper two-thirds, becoming coarser lower down, and with five 

 moderately large denticulations at its angle ; horizontal limb entire, 

 as are also the sub- and interopercles. Operculum with three spines, 

 the central one of which is much the strongest. 



Teeth villiform in both jaws, becoming most developed in the 

 centre, and a small canine on either side of the upper jaw. Villiform 

 teeth on vomer and palate in size about equal to the smallest on the 

 jaws. 



Fins. Dorsal spines moderately strong, the fourth being the long- 

 est, the last being two-thirds the height of the first ray; the soft 

 portion of the fin slightly rounded posteriorly. Pectoral rounded. 



