1867.] THE FISHES OF SEYCHELLES. 851 



in Seychelles, which loses itself in a sand-bank without reaching the 

 sea. The only direct communication between the two is after un- 

 usually heavy floods ; so that it would appear that this salt-water 

 species not only visits, but habitually lives, in fresh water. 



47. DiAGRAMMA PUNCTATISSIMUM, Sp. n. (PI. XL.) 



D. ;-|. A.|. L.lat. 90-95. 



Allied to Z). pardalis and D. gaterina, but differing from these 

 principally in the size of the scales. 



Diagnosis. — Height of body thrice and two-thirds in the total 

 length ; length of head four times in the same. Diameter of eye a 

 fourth of the length of the head. Lips thick, swollen. The upper 

 maxillary barely reaches the vertical from the anterior nostril. Prse- 

 operculum with the posterior limb slightly inclining forwards, with 

 a very shallow emargination in the middle, and, together with the 

 angle, moderately denticulated. Dorsal fin rather deeply notched, 

 the fourth and fifth spines longest ; they are contained twice and a 

 half in the length of the head, and are longer than the longest ray. 

 The second and third anal spines are about equal in length, but the 

 former is much the stronger ; they are hardly shorter than the fourth 

 dorsal ray. Caudal truncated. The free portion of the tail below 

 the termination of the dorsal is less than the distance thence to the 

 base of the caudal. 



Colour. — Grey ; the upper two-thirds of the" head and trunk, the 

 soft dorsal, anal, and caudal covered with rather large, crowded, 

 blackish spots, occupying from two to five series of scales. The 

 spinous dorsal with a broad black margin, and a series of large black 

 spots along the middle, the largest being half the diameter of the 

 orbit. Soft dorsal with a narrow black margin. Pectorals grey, 

 with a red black-edged spot at the axil, one or two reddish black 

 spots on the base, and the membrane behind the base red. Ventrals 

 with two red spots on the base superiorly. 



Length 16^ inches. 



48. DiAGRAMMA CENTURIO, C. & V. 



49. SCOLOPSIS FRENATUS, C. & V. 



50. S. PH.EOPS. 



Scolopsides phcBops, Bennett, Proc. Comm. Zool. Soc. i. p. 165. 

 Scolopsis phcEops, Giinth. Fish. i. p. 358. 

 Hab. Seychelles ; Mauritius. 



51. PeNTAPUS AUROLINEATUS. 



Sparus lineatus, Lacep. iv. p. 132. 



Pentapus aurolineatus, Cuv. & Val. vi. pp. 269, 559, pi. 157; 

 Giinth. Fish. i. p.381. 



Hab. Seychelles ; Mauritius ; Molucca Sea ; Louisiade archi- 

 pelago. 



