12. 



SPARUS HARDWICKE. 



Order, Thoracic. 



il ^ /; ' I LOWER 



MaL-GiKAWAH- 



rAEROT. 



S. hardwicre. The body marked with six perpendicular dark stripes, 

 intersected with horizontal lines of purple, green, red, yellow, blue, and 

 grey, in gaudy colours. The head is variegated with red and green 

 marks, radiating from the eye. 



Branchiostegous rays 6. Dorsal 20, eight spinous. Pectoral 14. Ventral 6, 

 one spinous. Anal 13, two spinous. Caudal 16. 



The Mal-Girawah of the Cingalese owes its name to the brilliant 

 variety of its colours — ?nal signifying flower. This variety the 

 Author is led thus to designate as a tribute of respect to his friend, 

 General Hardwicke, of the Honourable East India Company's 

 Bengal Artillery, alike distinguished in the pursuit of Botany and 

 Natural history, for whose ready and able assistance in this work, 

 the Author is desirous to record his gratitude. 



The Mal-Girawah, though not particularly sought after by the 

 fisherman, is not objected to as food. It has been known to 

 attain the length of fourteen inches, but seldom, if ever, to exceed 

 that size, and inhabits, like the rest of the Girawah tribe, rocky 

 situations. 



Figure — The natural size of the Specimen. 



