FAMILY, V— SPAEID^. 139 



diameter 31 to 1/4 in length of Lead, 1-| to 2 diameters from end of snout, and nearly one apart. Dorsal profile 

 rather more convex than that of the abdomen, a more or less developed protuberance before the anterior- 

 superior angle of the eyes. The maxiUa reaches to below the front edge of the orbit. Preorbital very deep, 

 being equal to from. 1 to Ij diameters of the orbit. Preopercle creniilated at its angle and along its lower 

 limb : opercle high and narrow having two very blunt points. Teeth — four conical incisors in front of both 

 jaws, with about three rows of rounded teeth immediately behind them : two rows of teeth with rounded 

 crowns along the sides of either jaw, the most interior being small and in above two rows, the first few in the 

 outer row of the maxilla may be more or less conical. Fins — dorsal spines of moderate strength and compressed, 

 the young having filamentous prolongations, two first very short, just appearing above the scales, the third the 

 longest in the fin, often longer than the head, and its interspinous membrane cleft to the base of the fourth 

 spine, the membrane between the rest of the spines deeply emarginate. Pectoral one-third longer than the 

 head : ventral reaches as far as the anus : ' the second anal spine a little stronger than the third and of about 

 equal length, being 2^ to 2| or even 1/3 in the length of the head : caudal emarginate. Scales — cycloid, about 

 six rows between the orbit and the angle of the preopercle. Colours — whitish, with pinkish bands passing 

 along the centre of every scale becoming rather indistinct below the middle of the height of the body. In 

 specimens up to 4 inches in length there are five vertical bands on the body. 



Dr. Griinther, 1. c. observes that a young specimen from China in the British Museum has A. f, a 

 number I have not observed in Indian examples. In two young specimens (to 3 inches) from Sind the 

 filamentous prolongation of the dorsal fin reaches to the base of the caudal. 



A specimen from Sind, 11 inches long, has a very prominent protuberance above and in front of the orbits. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. -^ 



Genus, 6 — Chetsophets, Gtw. 

 Ghrysohlephus, Swainson. 



Branchiostegals six : pseudohrancMce. Body ohlong, compressed. Four to eight conical or compressed teeth 

 anteriorly, cmd three or four rows of rounded molars laterally in either jaw.* A single dorsal fin, with from eleven to 

 thirteen spines, receivable into a groove at their base: anal with three spines. Scales of moderate size, extending over 

 the cheeks. Air-vessel sometimes notched or with very short appendages. Pyloric appendages few. 



Geographical distribution. — Red Sea, coasts of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and 

 beyond. 



Some stress has been laid in the discrimination of species in this genus as to whether the lower edge of 

 the preorbital is straight or notched, in order to receive the posterior extremity of the maxillary bone. This 

 sign however is of little if any value, for it may be straight, emarginate or deeply notched in the same species, an 

 seen in G. berda, &c. The proportionate height of the preorlsital to the diameter of the orbit varies with age, and 

 its depth appears, as a rule, to increase, while that of the eye decreases, in comparison to the length of the 

 head. Likewise, as is also the case in some ,other Genera, as Pristipoma, having the alternate dorsal spines 

 broad on one side and not on the other, — it is not an invariable rule that the broad side shall be the first, third, 

 fifth, and so on, for in specimens of the same species they may be the second, fourth, sixth, &c. The length of 

 the second anal spine is subject to considerable differences, see G. Guvieri, whilst the number of dorsal spines 

 likewise varies. 



SYNOPSIS OP SPECIES. 



1. Chrysophrys datnia,'!). ii:|f, A. ^%, L. 1. 46-48, L.tr. 4-5/11, Ca3c. pyl. 4. Six incisors in front of 

 either jaw, an outer compressed row along a portion of the rami, and four or five rows of rounded molars in the 

 upper and three or four in the lower jaw : 3|- rows of scales between the lateral-line and the base of the dorsal 

 spines. Greyish. Seas and estuaries of India. 



2. ■ Chrysophrys berda, D. H=if , A. -g- l, L. 1. 44-46, L. tr. 6/13, Csec. pyl. 3. Six incisors in front of 

 either jaw : an outer rather conical row along 'a portion of the upper jaw : four rows of rounded teeth in the 

 upper and three in the lower jaw : four entire and two half rows between the lateral-line and the base of the 

 spinous dorsal. Greyish, a dark opercular spot. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



3. Chrysophrys Guvieri, D. tt-Vzi ^- s^-si ^- 1- ^8> ^- *''■ ^-5/12. Six conical incisors in front of either jaw, 

 with villiform teeth behind them : the outer row at the sides rather conical and compressed : molars small, three 

 row's in the upper and two in the lower jaw. Greyish, fins nearly black. Seas of India ? to the Malay 

 Archipelago and beyond. 



4. Chrysophrys Ufasciata, D. yJ.Vr, A. to?it, L. 1. 48-50, L. tr. 7/15. Dorsal, cauda,! and pectoral yeUow, 

 ventral and anal black. Two vertical black bands on the head. Red Sea and seas of India. 



5. Chrysophrys sarha, D. t^_\^, A. ^, L. 1. 56-60, L. tr. 6-7/14. Prom four to six broad compressed 

 incisors in front of the upper and six to eight in the lower jaw, three rows of large molars in the lower and four 

 in the upper jaw. Silvery, with golden bands along each row of scales. Red Sea and seas of India. 



6. Chrysophrys haffara, D. ^, A., ^, L. 1. 60, L. tr. 7/14. Six compressed incisors in front of either jaw, 



• " It must be considered, as a rule, in those fishes with a truly single dorsal fin, composed of a spinous and soft portion, that 

 often owe or two soft rays, nearest to the spines are transformed into true spines, thb number of the latter thus appearing to be increased.' 

 Giinthcr, Catal. i, p. 493. For instances advanced to the contrary, see 1. c. p. 183, respecting Oenyoroge and Mesoprion. 



T 2 



