238 report— 1845. 



36. Chinese name, Tayen lap, "Large-eyed lap" (Reeves) ; Tai gans 

 lap (Bridgera. Chrest. 129). Rad. D. 9 vel 10]12; A. 3|12 vel 13; C. 

 16*; P. 19. 



There is some difficulty in discovering ready characters by which the Priacanthi may be 

 distinguished from one another. In the published descriptions much stress has been laid on 

 the form and size of the angular pi-ojection of the preoperculum, but this varies greatly on 

 different sides of the same individual, and in the ' Fauna Japonica' it is stated that there is a 

 variation in this part as well as in the relative size of the fins, depending on the age of the 

 individual. The fish at present under consideration may perhaps eventually prove to belong 

 to the preceding species, should the elongation of the tips of the caudal and peak of the dorsal 

 be discovered to be merely a sexual peculiarity or the more perfect state of the fish. One 

 specimen exists in the museum of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, to which it was pre- 

 sented by the Rev. George Vachell, and another in the British Museum, received from John 

 Reeves, Esq., both obtained at Canton. 



Eye fully as large as in boops, interfering a little with the profile, and not much above half 

 a diameter from the end of the snout. Height of body equal to one-fourth of the total length ; 

 suborbitar chain presenting small knobs round the margin of the orbit, crenated on the lower 

 edge ; preorbitar narrow and toothed. In both specimens the preopercular spine is long, 

 tapering, and acute on one side and comparatively short on the other, and its serratures are not 

 uniform ; the operculum has a very small spinous point, which is the tip of a short ridge ; the 

 fourth soft ray of the dorsal is lengthened into a short filiform tip, the posterior corner of the 

 fin being rounded ; the anal is much rounded and about half the height of the body ; caudal 

 forked, with the tips acute and lengthened, particularly the upper one in Mr. Reeves's spe- 

 cimen ; but in Mr. Vachell's, the upper tip only is a liitle larger than the rest of the fin, and is 

 nearly straight on the edge ; pectoral considerably smaller than in benmebari, and rounded ; 

 ventrals large ; the scales silvery and bright. In the figure a bright carmine colour runs along 

 the base of the dorsal, and gradually fades away as it descends the sides, which are silvery; 

 the same is the case on the head ; a faint roseate tint spreads over the dorsal, the edge being 

 deeper ; the anal and ventrals are pale blue, the latter being rose-coloured towards the edges, 

 and marked by about eight rows of brown spots, with two larger round ones in the membrane 

 which connects the last ray with the belly as far as the anus ; the pectorals and caudal are 

 siskin-green and rose-coloured. One specimen 4-| inches, the other 9-£ inches. 



The Priacanthus speculum of the Seychelle islands is stated in the ' Histoire des Poissons' 

 (vii. p. 471) to be readily distinguished from other species by its forked caudal. We are 

 prevented from considering it as identical with the Chinese fish, by the eye being a full dia- 

 meter of the orbit from the edge of the snout, the extreme smallness of the preopercular 

 point, and the absence of the round spots on the pectoral. In the latter character tayenus 

 agrees more nearly though not perfectly with benmebari. In the angular or pointed dorsal 

 it resembles japonicus. 



Hab. Chinese sea. Canton. 



Priacanthus dubius, Temm. et Schl. F. J. Sieb. p. 19. 



Hab. Sea of Japan. 



Priacanthus japonicus, C. et V. iii. p. 106. pi. 50 ; Temm. et Schl. F. J. 

 Sieb. p. 20. 



Hab. Japanese sea. 



Priacanthus niphonius, C. et V. iii. p. 107 ; Temm. et Schl. F. J. Sieb. 

 p. 21. Bad. D. 10|12 ; A. 3|10; &c. (Burger's spec.) 



One of Burger's specimens is in the British Museum. Scales much rougher than those of 

 benmebari. In the roughness and general character of the scales Priacanthus approaches to 

 the Myripristidce. 



Therapon theraps, C. et V. iii. p. 129. et vii. p. 475. pi. 53 ; Richardson, 

 Ann. Nat. Hist. ix. p. 126. Pterapon trivittatus, Gray, Hard w. III. ; Icon. 

 Reeves, a. 43 ; Hardw. Acanth. 49. Chinese name, Ketsee tsze (Birch) ; 

 Kin sih (Reeves) ; Aborigines of Port Essington, At a goorn (Gilbert). 



Hab. Seychelles, Indian ocean, Torres Straits, Javan and Chinese seas. 



Therapon servus, Bloch {Holocentrus), 238 ; C. et V. iii. p. 125 ; Richard. 

 Ann. Nat. Hist. ix. p. 126. Grammistes servus, Bl. Schn. p. hS5. Sciama 



