1849.] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 985 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang y Singapore. 



Total length, 4-J inch. 



The length of the head is \ of the total ; the orbit borders on the 

 profile, and occupies the second fourth of the head ; the distance be- 

 tween the orbits across the forehead is f of the horizontal diameter of 

 the orbit, which is \ of the length of the head. The posterior margin 

 of the preopercle is finely serrated nearly all round, except a small por- 

 tion of the lower part ; the opercle terminates in a broad triangular 

 membranous point, in the upper margin of which appears a deep 

 rounded incision. The vertical diameter at occiput is -§, in front of 

 the anterior dorsal a little less than the length of the head, at the root 

 of the caudal it slightly exceeds \ of the head. The sides are covered 

 by 11 longitudinal series of rounded, finely ciliated scales, each with 15 

 to 18 radiating lines at the base. The lateral line follows the outline 

 of the back; it occupies the third upper series of scales, 23 or 24, on 

 each of which appears a central, longitudinal tube, with one or two 

 minute tubes on each side of its root. The scales of the series imme- 

 diately above and below the lateral line present an indistinct longitu- 

 dinal elevation. The first dorsal spine is ^ of the second and third, the 

 longest and strongest, each of which is 2\ of the length of the head ; 

 the sixth spine exceeds the first by one third ; the spine of the poste- 

 rior dorsal, the second anal and the ventrals are of equal length, \ of 

 that of the head. In the inconstant character of colours, the present 

 species differs from A. poecilopterus, but both agree in their number of 

 fin rays, and general resemblance to the Mediterranean species. {A. rex 

 mullorum, Cuv. and Val. II. 143.) It is to be regretted that the 

 description of A. poecilo'pterus is not sufficiently explicit for identifica- 

 tion. At Pinang and Singapore single individuals of the present spe- 

 cies are of uncertain occurrence. 



Apogon quadrifasciatus, Cuv. and Val. 



1 Mullus fasciatus, White ; Voyage, 268, Fig. I 



Apogon quadrifasciatus, Cuv. and Val. II. 153. 



Apogon quadrifasciatus, Bleeker: Verh. Batav. Gen. XXII. 16, 28. 



Crown of the head and back brownish black ; sides and abdomen, 

 mother of pearl ; a broad black band from above the orbit to the root 

 of the caudal ; a second parallel from behind the orbit, first beneath 

 the lateral line, but from near the posterior part of the second dorsal 



6 l 2 



