441 



Body moderately elongate, compressed, the dorsal and 

 anal profiles almost evenly rounded. Head tnmid, the inter- 

 orbital space high and arched. Eye a little above the middle 

 line of the head. Maxillary reaching backward to below the 

 anterior portion of the eye, only partly covered by the pre- 

 orbital, which is entire and not so broad as the maxillary. 

 Preopercular margin sinuous but not serrated, the hinder limb 

 subvertical, the angle rounded. Operculum with a flat spine. 

 Nostrils minute, close together, midway between the anterior 

 margin of the eye and the tip of the snout. 



Teeth. — Premaxillaries with several short stout canines 

 anteriorly and on the sides, which are followed by a narrow 

 band of villiform teeth. Mandible with a few canines 

 anteriorly and a band of villiform teeth. Vomer with a small 

 patch of villiform teeth ; similar teeth are also present on the 

 •anterior portions of the palatines. Tongue smooth. 



Scales cycloid, of moderate size, largest on the anterior 

 portion of the sides. They extend forward on the upper 

 surface of the head to above the anterior portion of the eye : 

 thence they are defined by a series curving backward to. 

 the suprascapular, which is covered with small muciferous 

 canals. Some large scales are placed on the sides of the nape 

 and are connected with those on the cheeks and opercles.. 

 Seven rows on the cheeks, leaving a broad area on the limb, 

 of the preoperculum naked. All the rest of the head naked, 

 the skin on the snout and upper part of the head pitted 

 with minute pores. Small scales cover the base of the pectoral 

 fin and a large part of the caudal, but they are not present 

 on the membrane of the dorsal and anal fins. Lateral line 

 but little arched, extending on to the middle of the caudal 

 peduncle, and consisting of simple tubules. 



Fins. — Dorsal originating slightly behind the vertical of 

 the ventrals ; the third spine is the longest, and with those on 

 each side of it forms an elevated lobe ; the posterior spines 

 are subequal in length and scarcely shorter than the first 

 rays: the rays increase in length backward to the second last. 

 Anal originating below the anterior part of the soft dorsal 

 and terminating a little behind it ; the first spine is short, the 

 second and third subequal and as long as the anterior rays. 

 Pectoral falcate, reaching to the vertical of the first anaL 

 spine. Caudal strongly forked. 



Colour. — General colour cerulean-blue and lemon-yellow.. 

 The yellow colour covers the tail and greater portion of the 

 caudal peduncle, and extends forward on the supralateral por- 

 tion of the body to a point in advance of the origin of the 

 dorsal. The anterior part of the body is blue, and this colour 

 extends backward along the back below the dorsal fin, and 



