ON THE ICHTHYOLOGY OF THE SEAS OF CHINA AND JAPAN. 273 



wak, Russell, 43; Icon. Reeves, 194; Hardvv. 225. Chinese name, Hih 



tsang (Birch); Haktsong, "Black tsang" (Reeves, Bridgem., Chrest.149). 



Rad. D.4|42; A. 1|36; P. 21. &c. (Spec. Br. Mus.) 



The British Museum possesses a Chinese specimen. One spine can be observed incumbent 

 on the front of the dorsal, but the other three are concealed. The specimen measures \A\ 

 inches, the figure nearly 11. There is a greater distance between the anus and anal fin in 

 this species than in the preceding one. The lateral line is decidedly keeled, and the fins are 

 less pointed than they are represented to be in Bloch's fig. 160, and much less than in his 

 plate 422. The colour is yellowish-gray with lilac and purple tints by no means dark, so 

 that the name of niger is not appropriate. 



Hab. China sea and Indian ocean. 



Stromateus securifer, C. et V. ix. p. 344. pi. 373 ; Cantor, Ann. Nat. 

 Hist. ix. p. 45, 



Hab. China sea and Indian ocean. Chusan (Cantor). 



Stromateus punctatissimus, Temm. et Schl. F. J. Sieb. p. 121. pi. 65. 



More pointed and longer anal than argenteus has. 

 Hab. Sea of Japan. 



Stromateus atous, Russell, 42, (Atoo koia). C. et V. ix. p. 389. "Stroma- 

 teus sinensis, Euphrasen in N. Schvved. Abh. ix. p. 49. t. 9 ;" Bl. Schn. 492. 

 Hab. Sea of China. 



Stromateus aculeatus, Bl. Schn. p. 492 ; C. et V. ix. p. 394. " S. argen- 

 teus, Euphrasen N. Schwed. Abh. ix. p. 49. t. 9." (Mem. de Stockh.) 

 Hab. China seas. 



Seserinus vachellii, Richardson. Rad. D. 5|42; A. 3|37 ; C. 17-j-J; 

 P. 21 ; V. 1|5. (Spec. Camb. Ph. Inst.) 



This fish has the same close resemblance to Stromateus niger that Seserinus microchirus 

 has to Stromateus fiatola. The Prince of Canino has replaced the Mediterranean Seserinus 

 in the genus Stromateus, but the discovery of the Chinese species with larger ventrals and a 

 keeled lateral line justifies Cuvier's separation of the two forms. The Rev. George Vachell 

 brought two specimens from Canton of the Seserinus which we have named in honour of him. 

 It is a greatly compressed fish, which is thickest at the orbits, the height of its body being only 

 a quarter less than the length, caudal excluded. The acute nuchal ridge vanishes in the inter- 

 orbital space, which is however not flat. A recumbent spine is placed in front of the dorsal, and 

 five erect ones are so buried in front of the fin that they can be detected only by dissection. 

 The fifth spine has a long, flexible, but not jointed tip, which is also concealed ; the others are 

 pungent. The first anal spine is short, the third one a quarter of the length of the soft rays, 

 and the second one of intermediate length. Both the dorsal and anal are falcate. The pec- 

 torals are long and falcate, their tips reaching over two-thirds of the anal. Ventrals small, 

 falcate or pointed, attached beneath the corner of the preoperculum, and having the anus be- 

 tween their tips. Tail slender, caudal deeply forked. Scales small, the lateral line torulose 

 or keeled on the tail by soft triangular plates, which have an acute point that catches the fin- 

 ger when drawn back. These plates are small, and when examined with a lens appear to be 

 formed of two divergent tubes, with the acute point rising from the disc they enclose. 



Eye distant from the profile. Preoperculum and operculum striated. Lower jaw when 

 depressed longer than the upper one. Teeth as fine as hairs, slightly curved in one close row 

 on both jaws. Colour gone. 



Length 3*75 inches. Height of body between dorsal and anal, 2 inches. Length of head, 

 1 inch. 



Hab. China seas. Canton. 



Caranx trachurus, Lin. Bl. (Scomber). C. et V. ix. p. 11 ; Temm. et 

 Schl. F. J. Sieb. p. 109. pi. 59. f. 1. With 70 to 75 shields on lateral line. 

 Hab. Chinese and Japanese seas. Amboyna. New Zealand. Australian seas. Cape 



of Good Hope. English Channel. 



Caranx rotleri, Bloch, t. 346 (Scomber). C. et V. ix. p. 29 ; Icon. Reeves, 

 1845. T 



