PISCES 22) 
Upper profile of head sinuous, tumid over the snout and eye, 
interorbital space convex, but not sharp, mouth small and sub- 
horizontal the maxilla extending no further than the anterior 
nostril, lips thick, the upper jaw the longer. 
The profile of the back rises suddenly from the occiput, thence 
gradually to the base of the eighth dorsal spine, whence it falls 
to the caudal peduncle, the dorsal edge is sharp throughout its 
length, the lower profile of the body is more even but tumid 
behind the throat and is sharp and ridged to between the 
ventral fins, it is rounded only beneath the caudal peduncle. 
Teeth—Teeth villiform, in a band in each jaw with a slightly 
enlarged outer series. 
Fins.—The dorsal commences above a point within the 
opercular margin, its seventh spine is the longest, 2.8 in the head, 
and longer than the rays: the anal has a short base, it commences 
beneath the fourth dorsal ray and terminates an eye diameter 
before the end of the dorsal; the second spine is the longest, 
the hinder rays are elongated reaching beyond the base of the 
dorsal: the ventral arises beneath the longest dorsal spine which 
its own spine exceeds in length, the fin reaches to the vent: 
the two upper and seven lower rays of the pectoral are simple, 
of the latter the second is greatly elongated, reaching the base 
of the seventh anal ray, its length equals the height of the body 
or 2.2 in its length; it is one-half longer than the head, and is 
slightly fringed above and below: the caudal is deeply forked, 
the peduncle is low, little more than the diameter of the eye. 
Scales—The snout is naked, the upper part of the head, 
cheeks and opercles are covered with small scales, a band of small 
scales also extends behind the opercle downwards to the pectoral, 
the rest of the body is covered with moderate cycloid scales; the 
lateral line has a low even curve, passes near to the upper edge 
of the peduncle, thence drops to the central ray of the tail. 
Colours.—Silvery, with a purple tint along the back; inner 
side of opereles black, showing through the membranes; a 
black band crosses the back in front of the dorsal fin, it extends 
below the lateral line but fails to reach the pectoral fin. In young 
examples there are, in addition, four other but fainter bands, 
one beneath the middle and another beneath the hinder spines 
of the dorsal, one beneath the middle rays and the last on the 
upper surface of the caudal peduncle: occasionally all the five 
bars persist, but usually only the first remains, and even this 
may disappear in old examples. Young specimens also exhibit 
about six longitudinal lines of brownish hue: the fins may be 
slightly clouded but without distinct markings. 
Length.—267 mm. 
