1896.] A. Alcock — Supplementary List of Indian Fishes. 803 



either toothless or with a few teeth anteriorly. About 40 rows of 

 scales from occiput to base of caudal : opercles and cheeks densely, 

 occiput and vertex sparsely, scaly : lateral line with a few long 

 tentacles. 



The 2nd, 3rd and 4th dorsal spines much the longest — considerahhj 

 more than half the length of the head : the 2nd anal spine the longest — 

 not quite half the length of the head. The pectorals reach to the anal 

 fin, only a few of the rays are branched. 



No air-bladder. 



Colours in spirit : ventral half of body and all the fins light reddish 

 yellow, dorsal half of head and body mottled purple ; a dark purple 

 blot between the 7th and 10th dorsal spines, and a fainter streak of 

 the same colour between the 2nd and 6th dorsal rays. 



Length not quite 3 inches. 



Off Ceylon in 34 fms. 



3. Pterois macrura, n. sp. 

 D. XIII. 9. A. II. 7. L. lat. circ. 45. 



Caudal pointed, one at least of its upper rays produced as a slender 

 filament which is as long as the body behind the eye. 



Length of the head about two-fifths, height of the body about 

 one-third of the total without the caudal. Snout as long as the eye, 

 or rather more than one-fourth the length of the head : interorbital 

 space deeply concave, its width half the length of the eye. Pre-orbital 

 with spines and finely serrated crests, with a few scales, and with a 

 large tentacle overhanging the angle of the mouth. Spines and crests 

 of the head and cheek well developed and finely serrated. 



About 45 rows of scales between the occiput and the 'base of the 

 caudal : head scaly everywhere except jaws, tip of snout, and middle 

 line of interorbital space. 



The pectorals reach to the base of the caudal. 



Colours in spirit : sepia with black cross-bars ; vertical fins with 

 dark spots which are only distinct along the upper edge of the caudal ; 

 pectorals and ventrals nearly black, with white spots. 



Three large pyloric caeca. 



Off Malabar coast in 45 fms. 



Fam. Squamipinnes. 



Holacanthus alternans, C. Y., var. meleagris, nov. 



This variety differs from the descriptions of the type only in 

 colouration. 



The colours in spirit are : head body and all the fins dark indigo- 



