224 report — 1845. 



Sci/ena lucida, Richardson, Ichth. Voy. of Sulphur, p. 87. pi. 44. f. 3, 4 ; 

 Icon. Reeves, /3. 6 ; Hardw. Acanth. 130. Chinese name, Hwang pe tow 

 (Birch) ; Wang pe tow, " Yellow-skin head" (Reeves) ; Wang pi tau, 

 (Bridgem. Chrest. 98). 



The Scicena lucida forms part of all the collections of Chinese fish that we have examined, 

 and is one of the most common fish on the breakfast tables of the foreign residents at Macao. 

 Wang pe is the fruit of the Cookia punctata. 



Hab. Seas of China. Chusan. Ningpo. Canton. 



Sclena crocea, Richardson. Icon. Reeves, 139; Hardw. Acanth. 131. 

 Chinese name, Hwang hwa (Reeves) ; " Yellow paint" (Birch); (Bridgem. 

 Chrest. 169 ?) Bad. D. 9|-1|3S ; A. 1|8 ; C. 17f ; P. 16 ; V. 1|5. 



This fish is intermediate in form, as well as in the numbers of its fin-rays, between Sc. lucida 

 and Sc. pama (Buch.), and differs considerably in character from the two Atlantic species and 

 from Sc.japonica, having more the aspect of a Johnius. 



The following particulars are noted from a Canton specimen presented to the British Mu- 

 seum by John Reeves, Esq. : — Outer teeth of the upper jaw widely set, short, subulate, acute ; 

 a canine tooth a little stouter than the others on each side of the symphysis ; and a villiform 

 band within. On the lower jaw, the subulate teeth are a little taller and slightly curved, with 

 numerous small ones amongst them, but no distinct interior villiform bands. The maxillary 

 is strengthened anteriorly by a smooth rib which projects at the tip. Four pores at the end of 

 the lower jaw; and five teeth pointing upwards on the upper limb of the preoperculum. Two 

 thin, flat, triangular, acute and flexible tips to the operculum, with a cartilaginous prolonga- 

 tion of the suboperculum extending much beyond them. Anal spine having about one-third 

 of the length of the soft rays. Scales soft and nacry, the curve of the lateral line terminating 

 at the tip of the pectoral, but less boldly arched than in the figure. Pectorals, under-parts 

 of the body, sides of the head, and ventral spine saffron-yellow, the anal showing a reddish- 

 orange hue. The fish attains a considerable size. 



Hab. Sea of China. Canton. 



Otolithus aureus, Richardson. Icon. Reeves, 234 ; Hardw. Acanth. 129. 

 Chinese name, Kin leen hwo, " Gold scale hwo" (Birch) ; Kinn lin kan, 

 "Golden-scaled han" (Reeves). Rad. D. 10|-1|25; A. 2|9 ; P. 17; 

 V. 1|5. 



John Reeves, Esq. presented two Canton specimens of this fish to the British Museum. 

 They have five pores at the tip of the lower jaw ; a row of subulate teeth on the upper jaw, a 

 card-like or villiform band within, and a canine tooth near the symphysis. On the lower jaw 

 there are no villiform bands within the subulate teeth, but two or three rows of minute ones 

 exterior to them. Maxillary striated, truncated. Preorbitar and snout scaly. Preoperculum 

 streaked on its border and slightly crenato-dentate. Bony operculum ending in two narrow, 

 acute, triangular flat points, separated from each other by a deep oblique fissure. First anal 

 spine almost concealed ; second slender, half the length of the soft rays. Colour generally 

 dark with much brown, unspotted on body. Two rows of spots between the rays on second 

 dorsal ; pectorals and lower fins orange. 



Hab. Canton. 



Otolithus reevesii, Richardson. Rad. D. 10|-1|31 ; A. 2|7 ; C. 17 ; P. 



19; V. 1|5. 



This species has the general form of the preceding, but differs from it in having a more 

 blunt, rounded, and prominent snout, a shorter rounded caudal, approaching less to a rhomb, 

 and the preoperculum spinously toothed on the upper limb and rounded corner, where the 

 teeth are large. On its under limb the teeth have the usual crenato-dentate character ob- 

 served in this genus. The dorsal is more deeply divided than in aureus, and the two equal 

 tips of the bony operculum are shorter and stronger. The second anal spine, though shorter 

 than the soft rays, is stout and finely striated ; dentition and pores on chin as in aureus. On 

 the upper half of the body there are oblique lines which pass some way below the lateral 

 line. The number of anal rays forbid us to refer this fish to the bispinosus of the • Histoire des 

 Poissons,' and it does not agree with the others described in that work. The British Museum 

 possesses a Chinese specimen obtained from Mr. Reeves, but he docs not appear to have had 

 a drawing made of it. 



Hab. Canton. 



