AMBASSIS.— THEEAPON. 113 



fourth of eye ; precorbital strongly serrated ; prseoperculum with two 

 strongly serrated edges ; no opercular spine ; two series of scales on the 

 cheek. Gill-rakers long and slender, 17-19 on lower part of anterior 

 arch. Dorsal VII, 110; second spine longest and strongest, § to once 

 length of head, eighth about as long as fourth, ^ to f length of head. 

 Anal III 10; third spine longest, as long as eighth dorsal. Pectoral 

 f to f length of head. Caudal deeply emarginate. Scales 28-29 j-j. 

 Back greenish brown; a silvery lateral band; membrane between the 

 second and third dorsal spines blackish or closely si)eckled with black, 

 at least near the edge. 



Total length LSO millim. 



East Coast of Africa to the Malay Archipelago and the North Coast 

 of Australia; often found in fresh water. — Types in Paris Museum. 



1-4. Ad. & yg. Zanzibar. Sir. L. Playfair (P.). 



5-7. Hgr. & yg. Rovuina R. Dr. Livingstone (P.). 



8-10. Hgr. „ 80 miles from coast. Sir J. Kirk (C). 



11-12. Yg. Dar-es-Salaam, German E. Africa. Mr. J.Paul Arnold (P.). 



13. Ad. OrilakyR.,atTongabory, Madagascar. Paris Museum (E.). 



5. THERAPON. 



Cnv. R^gne Anim. ii. p. 205 (1817) ; Cuv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. iii. p. 125 (1820) ; 

 Giinth. (;at. Fish. i. p. 274 (1859), part. 



Body oblong, strongly compressed ; scales small, ciliated ; lateral line 

 complete. Mouth moderately large, feebly protractile ; maxillary 

 exposed, without supplemental bone ; teeth in jaws villiform, with an 

 outer series strongly enlarged and conical; a single series of small teeth 

 on vomer and palatines. Prseorbital, prseoperculum, and exposed parts 

 of post-temporal and clavicle serrated ; operculum with a strong spine. 

 6 branchiostegal rays. Dorsal divided into two portions by a deep notch, 

 with 11 or 12 spines ; anal short, with 3 spines; both fins with a scaly 

 sheath at the base. Ventrals behind the vertical of the base of the 

 pectorals. Vertebra? 25 (10-}- 15). Air-bladder divided into a shorter 

 anterior and a longer posterior portion by a constriction. 



Indian and Pacific Oceans, some species entering rivers. 



1. THERAPON JARBUA. 



Sciccna jarbxia, Forsk. Descr. Anim. p. 50 (1775). 



Holocentrus servus, Bloch, Ausl. Fische, iv. p. 80, pi. ccxxxviii. fig. 1 (170O). 



Nolocentrus jarbua, Lacep. Hist. Poiss. iv. |)p. 348, 355 (1802). 



