ON THE ICHTHYOLOGY OF THE SEAS OF CHINA AND JAPAN. 289 



in the facial line not being so suddenly depressed at its union with the nape, which is never- 

 theless gibbous. The height of the body is equal to a third of the total lengtb, of which the 

 head forms one-fourth ; excluding the caudal, the head is equal to a third of the length ; the 

 thickness amounts to nearly half the height. The barbel which issues from near the middle 

 of the maxillary is very small ; that which springs from near its tip is moderately large. The 

 straight or very slightly decurved lateral line is traced on thirty- three scales, and there are 

 ten rows of scales in the height of the body. Their discs are obscurely radiated and roughish. 

 No streaks appear on the gill-cover. The dorsal commences some way before the ventrals 

 and over the posterior third of the pectorals ; its third soft ray stands above the front of the 

 ventrals. Its large spine and that of the anal are strongly serrated, and the last soft ray of the 

 two fins is divided to the base. 



The general hue of this fish is fully darker than any other one of Mr. Reeves's drawings of 

 the genus, the bases and edges of the scales being blackish-green passing into greenish-black, 

 with bronze discs above the lateral line, the light and dark parts being arranged so as to 

 produce lines corresponding in number with the rows of the scales. The dark bases are con- 

 tinued over the belly, but restricted in size ; and the discs of the scales below the lateral line 

 are pale olive-green with very slightly deeper coloured edges. Some crimson and lake tints 

 exist on the belly and under surface of the tail. The top of the head is blackish-green, the 

 cheeks and opercula are rich, dark auricula-purple, bordered by brilliant bronze. Under 

 parts of the head and throat buff-orange. Dorsal ash-gray with a yellowish-gray base. The 

 ventrals and anal are pale with rosaceous tips ; the pectorals show faint yellow, purple and 

 red tints, and the dark clove-brown caudal has the ends of the lobes hyacinth-red. Lengths 

 of the specimens 6 and 8§ inches: of the figure 10-£ inches. 

 Hab. Canton. 



Cyprinus hybiscoides, Richardson. Icon. Reeves, 156 ; Hardw. Malac. 3. 

 Chinese name, Foo yung le (Birch) ; Fooyang le, " Hibiscus-flower carp " 

 (Reeves); Fu yung li (Bridgem. Chrest. 12). Length of figure 12*2 

 inches. 



This has much the form of viridi-violaceus, but is more elegantly shaped at the nape, which 

 is not so gibbous. The barbels are longer and the fins are all very tall, seemingly the effect 

 of monstrous growth. A small specimen apparently of this species, but with a triple caudal, 

 was brought from China by Captain Dawkins. Only one spine, the tall serrated one, is re- 

 presented by the artist in the dorsal and anal, whose rays are Dl|19 ; A. 1J6 or 7. The colour 

 of the back down to the straight lateral line is the same as in viridi-violaceus, but the purple 

 tints are replaced on the side of the head by a shining bronze colour. The sides and belly 

 are silvery, with a greenish-gray shade at the bases of the scales. Dorsal and caudal brownish- 

 red, fading to purplish-red towards the edges ; anal and pectorals blood-red, the spine of the 

 former and rays of the latter being light purplish-gray. Anterior half of the ventrals blackish- 

 purple, the posterior half peach-blossom red. 



Hab. Canton. . ry 



Cyprinus acuminatus, Richardson. Icon. Reeves, 125; Hardw. Malac. 2. 

 Chinese name, Shang hae la, " Shang hae la fish," or the " Shang hai wax- 

 fish " (Birch) ; " Superior sea-carp " (Reeves); Sheung hoi lap (Bridgem. 

 Chrest. 17). Length of drawing 9 J inches. 



This species has an elevated back, shaped in profile like the roof of a house, with the sum- 

 mit at the commencement of the dorsal, which is over the posterior third of the small pectoral 

 and some way before the ventrals. The posterior slope of the back is the more gradual one, 

 and is entirely occupied by the dorsal. The belly is horizontal, with a short upward slope to 

 the tail which is occupied by the anal. Head small, forming one-fifth of the length of the fish, 

 while the height of the body equals a third of the same length. The nostrils want the valve or 

 erect lip shown in the drawings of the preceding species, and there is a deep groove across the 

 snout a short way before them, and on a line with the front of the preorbitar. The tip of the 

 snout is tumid, though not large. The barbels are small, particularly the upper pair. The 

 rays shown in the drawing are D. 2|19 ; A. 2|5. The spines are strong and coarsely serrated, 

 particularly the anal one. 



Top of the head and bases of the scales of the back oil -green. More and more of the discs 

 of the scales become silvery as they approach the lateral line ; and they are wholly so lower 

 down, except that a very pale wax-yellow colour marks their bases on the belly. The cheek 

 is bluish-gray ; the fins are all more or less tinged with aurora-red, with pale borders. The 

 red is deepest on the caudal, but that fin also has a broad colourless border at the end. The 

 lips are reddish, and the eye, which is large, has a red iris. 



Hab. Canton. 



1845. u 



