244 MR. G. A. BOULENGER ON [Apr. 16, 
MYLIoBATID&. 
83. AETOBATIS NARINARI, Euphr. 
84. DicEROBATIS EREGOODOO, Cant. 
9 feet in diameter. 
Notes are here appended on some of the fishes described by me 
as new in my first account, which have been regarded by Mr. Day’ 
as synonyms of previously known species. 
SERRANUS PRZOPERCULARIS. 
Six more specimens, adult (up to 28 inches long) and half-grown 
skins, and half-grown in spirit, having been sent by Mr. Jayakar, 
I have carefully compared them with the types and with S. morrhua, 
of which we have now in the Museum five dry specimens, presented 
by Mr. Jayakar, and two in spirit, from the Red Sea, presented by 
Dr. Klunzinger. Although very closely allied to S. morrhua, S. 
preopercularis is a perfectly valid species, constant in its coloration. 
The third dorsal spine at least equals the distance between the 
upper extremity of the border of the preeoperculum and the extremity 
of the median opercular spine in S. morrhua; it is considerably 
shorter in S. preopercularis, which, in this respect, agrees with 
S. latifasciatus. The latter species differs from both in the lower 
opercular spine being placed much further back than the upper, 
and in having only 12 to 14 branched dorsal rays”. Excellent 
figures of half-grown S. morrhua have been given by Steindachner * 
under the name of S. drunneus ; but I cannot admit this fish to be 
the Epinephelus brunneus of Bloch. 
SERRANUS GIBBOSUS. 
A second specimen, in spirit, has been received. It agrees in 
every respect with the type. Apart from the coloration, the shorter 
body distinguishes S. gidbosus from 8. striolatus. I cannot under- 
stand how its specific distinction from S. altivelis can be questioned, 
even for a moment. 
APOGON MAXIMUS. 
Three more specimens having been sent, I have reinvestigated the 
character of this beautiful species, which is perfectly distinct from 
A. bifasciatus. There are constantly 9 branched rays in the anal, 
instead of 8 as in A. bifasciatus; the second dorsal spine is more 
than half the length of the third, instead of less than half; the 
posterior upper border of the maxillary is not overlapped by the 
suborbital, which tapers below the centre of the eye, whilst in A. 
bifasciatus the suborbital is wider and overlaps the maxillary 
throughout. The coloration is very different ; and the large size 
(10 inches) also serves to distinguish 4. maximus from A. bifasciatus, 
which does not exceed a length of 43 inches. 
1 P.Z.S. 1888, p. 258, and Append. Fish. Ind. (1888). 
2 The type specimen of S. morrhua, which I have examined in the Paris 
Museum, has 14 soft rays. Another specimen, likewise from Mauritius, has 
15 rays. 
3 Steindachner u. Déderlein, “ Fische Japans,” Denkschr. Ak. Wein, xlvii. 
p. 22, pl. v. figs, 1, 2 (1883). 
