848 LIKUT COL. PLAYFAIR ON [NoV. 14, 



agrees with that in the ' Voyage of the Astrolabe.' Tlie latter is 

 distinguished not only by the form, number, and distribution of the 

 spots, but by the greater height of the body, and the shape of the 

 sjjinous portion of the dorsal. 



Dia(/7wsis. — Caudalis with rather convex posterior margin. The 

 length of the head is contained thrice and three-quarters, and the 

 height of the body four times in the total length. Diameter of the 

 eye one-fifth of the length of the head. The upper maxillary does 

 not extend as far as the posterior margin of the orbit. Prseoperculum 

 serrated, with four or five stronger denticulations at the angle ; sub- 

 and interoperculum entire ; operculum with three points, the upper 

 of which is minute, and the middle one very long. Scales ciliated. 

 Third dorsal spine longest, but not half the length of the head. The 

 third anal spine longest? 



Colour. — Brownish, with numerous small yellow spots, which are 

 smaller and more distinct on the head than on the body. Spinous 

 dorsal with indistinct yellowish spots, soft portion with a yellow 

 margixi and two series of distinct and one (the basal) series of in- 

 distinct large round brown spots, about eight in each. Anal and 

 caudal blackish, with numerous large dark brown spots, the latter 

 with a yellow margin. Veiitrals and pectorals similarly spotted. 



Length 14 inches. 



1 7. S. AREOLATUs, Forsk. 



There is not the slightest doubt that the fish described in Giin- 

 ther's ' Catalogue,' and quoted in ' The Fishes of Zanzibar,' is the 

 true S. areolatus of Forskall, and of the ' Hist. Nat. des Poissons.' 

 On a recent visit to the Paris Museum, specimens of this species 

 were shown to me bearing the name of angidaris, Cuv. Probably 

 these were not the typical specimens of atiffularis, but were con- 

 founded with it at some later period. Cuvier's description of the 

 latter agrees perfectly with a specimen in the British Museum. 



18. S. CHLOROSTIGMA, C. & V. 



19. S. CYLiNDRicus, Gthr. 



20. Plectropoma maculatum, B1, 



21. Pogonoperca ocellata. 



Pogonoperca ocellata, Giinth. Fish. i. p. 169. 



Two specimens of this remarkable fish were obtained at Seychelles, 

 where it appears quite unknown to the fishermen. Only two other 

 examples are known to exist, one in the British and the other in the 

 Paris Museum. 



22. Genyoroge seb^, C. & V. 

 2;). G. bengalensis, C. & V. 

 24. G. rivulata, C. & V. 



