16. 



LABRUS FORMOSUS. 



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Order, Thoracic. 



Native Name, &^<$z<Sm Rattoo-Girawah. 



L. formosus. Body grey, irregularly marked with circular black spots. 

 Head bright yellow, intersected by two beautiful diagonal lines of blue, 

 verging towards sea green, one of which ranges with the eye. The first 

 dorsal spine twice the length of the fin, and of a bright red color, which passes 

 through the extremity of the fin, above and through the centre of which 

 passes a greenish-blue line ; the caudal fin is curiously adapted, having its radii 

 circular at the base, and alternately ornamented with circular black dots ; 

 rather more than half of the fin is bright red, the remainder semi transparent 

 white, inclining to a very pale yellow. Lateral line very visible, convexing 

 towards the head, and also under the fifteenth ray, from the termination of 

 which it proceeds in a direct line to the centre of the caudal fin. 



Branchiostegous rays 5. Dorsal 21, nine spinous. Pectorall2. Ventral 6. 

 Anal 15, three spinous. Caudal 15. 



The Rattoo-Girawah of the Cingalese is one of the most beautiful 

 of its species. It is scarce, therefore not sought for the purposes of 

 food, although occasionally for the gratification of the naturalist. 

 Its flesh is firm, white, and nutritious, but such qualities are 

 scarcely sufficient to produce a reconciliation to the destruction of 

 such an interesting object of Nature. The Rattoo-Girawah is 

 generally taken in rocky situations, and has been known to attain 

 the length of twenty-four inches. It belongs to the genus Julis 

 of Cuvier, and is allied to Julis Ganymede of Freycinet's Voyage, 

 tab. 54. 



Figure — The natural size of the Specimen. 



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