ON THE ICHTHYOLOGY OP THE SEAS OF CHINA AND JAPAN. 281 



Chinese name, Tze leen ta shot, " Minute-scaled sole " (Reeves) ; Sai lin 



tat sha (Bridgem. Chrest. 205). 



Besides the straight central lateral line, another runs along the back at a little distance 

 from the fin, and is continued round the snout to the mouth ; and a third runs in like man- 

 ner near the edge of the belly forward to the gill-opening. A transverse line crosses the 

 nape, connecting the upper and middle lines, and another cross line, originating from the true 

 lateral line a little further forwards, descends on the temples, and there divides ; one branch 

 encircling the gill-cover; and another, descending the preoperculum and running forwards to 

 the point of the lower lip. Eyes over the posterior corner of the mouth. Colour umber- 

 brown, the fins yellowish-brown without spots, but the gill-cover and middle of the body are 

 darker and shading off. The defined black patch which includes the gill-cover in Mr. Gray's 

 figure is merely a darker brown shading off in Mr. Reeves's drawing. 



Hab. Coasts of China. Canton. 



Plagiusa melampetala, Richardson. Icon. Reeves, 150; Hardw. Malac. 



285. Chinese name, Hih leen ta sha, " Black-scaled sole " (Birch) ; Hih 



lin tat sha (Reeves) ; Hak lun tar sha (Bridgem. Chrest. 207). 



This is a large scaled species with two lines, as in bilineata (Bloch, 188, the Jerree potoo, 

 E, Russell, 74, and Pl.potous, Cuv., Jerree potoo, D, Russell, 73), but with the dorsal not shown 

 further forwards than the gill-opening. The general colour is dark chestnut-brown, with an 

 obscure clouding of umber-brown, a large grayish blotch behind the gill-openings, and an- 

 other near the hinder part of the anal. The fins are bluish- or blackish-gray. Eyes over 

 the mouth. Height of body equal to the length of the head, or to one-fourth of the length 

 of the body, excluding the fins. Length of figure 13£ inches. 



Hab. Coasts of China. Canton. 



Plagiusa favosquamis, Icon. Reeves, /3. 50; Hardw. Malac. 281. Chinese 

 name, Meih leen ta, " Small-scaled sole " (Birch) ; Meih lin tat sha, 

 " Close-scaled sole " (Reeves) ; Mat lin tat sha (Bridgem. Chrest. 206). 

 This species has proportionally larger scales than the preceding one. The dorsal com- 

 mences over the middle of the mouth and before the eyes. The mouth has a smooth flesh- 

 coloured edge, and the form of the body is elongated, its height equalling the length of the 

 head, and being contained four times in the total length. Colour chestnut-brown, darker 

 along the middle of the back, and each scale marked near the margin by a streak of umber- 

 brown. Length about 9£ inches. 

 Hab. Coasts of China. Canton. 



Tribus ? 



Fam. Siluridje. 



Silurus xanthosteus, Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Sulph. p. 133. pi. 56. 

 f. 12-14. Icon. Reeves, 102; Hardw. Malac. 142, 143 (duplicates). Chi- 

 nese name, Hwang huh, " Yellow bone" (Birch); Hwang hwci»(Reeves) ; 

 Wong kwat u (Bridgem. Chrest. 190). 

 The British Museum possesses Chinese examples of this fish presented by Mr. Reeves, and 

 two specimens from Chusan, which were collected there by Dr, Cantor, and came from him 

 through the India House, labelled S. punctatus and nanus. The labels have evidently been 

 accidentally transposed, and could not have been attached by Dr. Cantor to these specimens, as 

 they want the black lateral spots and black edges to the pectorals, which he mentions in his 

 description of punctatus, and no account of a species named nanus is contained in his paper 

 on the Fauna of Chusan. 



Hab. Canton (Reeves). Chusan (Cantor). 



Silurus sinensis, Lacep. v. pp. 58 et 82. pi. 2. f. 1 (Le silure chinois). 

 M'Clelland, Calc. Journ. iv. p. 402. Icon. Reeves, 131 ; Hardw. Malac. 

 141. Chinese name, Leen yu, " Sickle fish" (Birch); Linyu (Reeves) ; 

 Lim u (Bridgem. Chrest. 191). 



This and the preceding species belong to the group of Siluri, which have short faces and 

 projecting lower jaws, embracing the upper lip when the mouth is shut, and giving them, 

 together with an accompanying elevation of the shoulder, more or less the aspect of a Schilbe. 

 S. xanthosteus is distinguished at once from the present species by the union of the anal and 



