Labrus. gangetic fishes. 71 



those living in clear water, the body is variegated with alter- 

 nate transverse belts of black and dirty green; but, in old fishes, 

 especially if they have lived among dirty weeds, they are irre- 

 gularly variegated with black and dirty red, as in the figure. 

 On each shoulder there is always a small round blue spot, sur- 

 rounded by a black ring. The back fin is blue, variegated with 

 black ; and when the fish is very dark, the same variegation ex- 

 tends also to the fins of the tail, and behind the vent, and even 

 to the ventrals. 



The head is of moderate size and covered with scales, slopes 

 gradually down to the mouth, ends in a blunt form, and is near- 

 ly oval. The mouth is small, and, when shut, descends almost 

 vertically. The jaws contain no teeth, unless a little roughness 

 be considered as such. The tongue is smooth, and rather sharp. 

 The palate is smooth. There are two openings to each nostril, 

 the foremost being a short tube. The eyes, placed near the 

 middle height of the head, are of moderate size, and convex. 

 The gill-covers move freely, end in a point, and are covered 

 with scales. They conceal their membranes, each of which con- 

 tains five rays. 



The back and belly are arched. The lateral line, near the end 

 of the back fin, is completely separated into two portions, the 

 foremost being high up and parallel to the back, while the hin- 

 der runs straight along the middle of the tail. The vent is ra- 

 ther behind the middle. The scales are rounded, and finely 

 cut on the edges ; in proportion to the fish, they are rather 

 large. 



The fin on the back reaches from near the head to near the 

 tail, and is rounded behind. The pectoral fins are placed low, 

 and are short and rounded, each containing twelve rays. The 

 ventral fins are small, and each contains six rays, of which the 

 first is short and undivided. ■ The prickles of the anal fin are 



