50 



of the head. L. lat. 56. L. tr. 5/18. Body oval, rather elon- 

 gated ; pectorals large, having about the fourth of the total 

 length of the fish ; caudal forked. The denticulations of the prseo- 

 perculum very fine on its outer edge, but becoming much larger 

 towards the angle ; the lower edge is also crenulated. The oper- 

 culum is only distinctly denticulated on its inferior part ; prseor- 

 bital strongly ciliated. The lateral line follows the curve of the 

 back at about one-fifth of the height of the body. Scales rather 

 large, and strongly ciliated on their external edge. The dorsal fin is 

 covered with small scales to nearly two-thirds of its height ; the 

 spines number ten, and are rather strong ; the first is the shortest, 

 being about two-thirds the length of the second ; this is rather 

 shorter than the third ; the fourth is the longest ; but all the fol- 

 lowing are very nearly equal to it. The soft rays form an exact 

 continuation to the spines, but they are longer than the last of 

 these, and go on increasing in length towards the posterior angle, 

 which is rounded. Not only do the scales in this second part of 

 the fin extend entirely over the lower part, but they do also on 

 the membranes to nearly their end. The caudal fin is very 

 strongly emarginated ; its rays are covered by the scales to 

 much more than their first half; the anal spines are slender ; 

 the first is nearly two-thirds of the second, which is a little longer 

 than the third ; the rays are rather long ; the posterior angle of 

 the fin is rounded : small scales cover the almost totality of 

 the membranes. Ventrals of moderate size ; their spine rather 

 slender and straight ; the first ray is the longest, and the others 

 become gradually shorter. 



The body is of a pretty, light brown colour ; the back of a pur- 

 plish light blue, with several rather broad, yellow, gilt longitudinal 

 bands ; the two upper ones are irregular, and disappear a short 

 time after the death of the fish ; the lower, which follows the 

 lateral line, is more consistent, and extends from the end of the 

 operculum to the centre of the base of the caudal. These bands 

 extend over the sides of the head, and one in front of the eye. 

 Each of the scales of the body has its edge of a light blue colour, 

 and between the series of scales are very light yellow longitudinal 

 lines. In the centre of the body, and in part covered by the 

 extremity of the pectoral fin, is a black spot of a lozenge form, 

 which covers, in its broadest part, three series of longitudinal 



