22. 



PERCA ARGENTEA. 



Order, Thoracic. 



Native Name, ^0(^)5 Sepelawah. 



P. argentea. Body silvery, back bluish, graduating towards the lateral 

 line, which is strongly marked. Fins pale yellow; the caudal singularly 

 marked with five black longitudinal stripes. The lower plate of the head 

 marked with radii. The iris large, black, and brilliant. 



Branchiostegous rays 5. Dorsal 19, ten spinous. Pectoral 14. Ventral 6, 

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



The Sepelawah of the Cingalese inhabits the deep waters of the 

 ocean, and is found on the shores of Ceylon at certain seasons, when 

 driven into shallow water by larger fishes, of which it is the prey ; 

 during such periods, the fishers and other inhabitants take consider- 

 able quantities of the Sepelawah within the shoal water of the coral 

 banks, under the walls of the Fort at Point de Galle, with hats, hand- 

 nets, baskets, &c. This fish rarely exceeds seven inches in length, 

 and is excellent food. The native fishers can give no other reason for 

 the name applied to it than that " it is called Sepelawah." 



Figure — The natural size of the Specimen. 



