992 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Oct. 



boge with large round, sometimes confluent, black spots ; pectorals with 

 a large black spot in the centre of the base, and three or four more 

 or less interrupted arched black bands. Iris blackish brown with a 

 golden ring. 



D 11/15 or 16, C 17f, A 3/8, V 1/5, P 17 or 19, Br. VII. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang, Singapore. 

 Java. 



Total length : 4 feet 3 inch. 



This species is closely allied to S err anus geograpkicus, Kuhl and 

 Van Hasselt, which according to M. M Cuvier and Valenciennes has 

 one or two additional soft rays in the dorsal, and two in the anal fin. 

 It attains to a gigantic size. In one, the weight of which exceeded 

 1301b., the stomach contained remains of Stromateus, Sphyrna blochii, 

 and of a Limulus. Though not plentiful, it is not of uncommon occur- 

 rence at Pinang, where it is valued by the natives both in its fresh and 

 dried state. In the adult the colour of the fins is greenish olive. 

 Serranus altivelis, Cuv. and Val. 



Serranus altivelis, Cuv. and Val. II. 324, PI. 25. 



Cromileptes altivelis, Swainson, Nat. Hist, of Fishes, II. 20 L 



Serranus altivelis, Richardson : Report 1845, 230. 



Serranus altivelis, Bleeker, Verb. Batav. Gen. XXII. 18, 33. 



Head and body brownish buff changing to white on the abdomen ; 

 fins lilac-grey ; all parts with distant round black spots, edged with white ; 

 those of the body and dorsal fins larger than the rest ; iris brownish 

 buff with a narrow golden ring, the upper part with two ocelli. 



D 10/18, C 17J-, A 3/10, V 1/5, P 17, Br. VII. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang. 



Java, China Seas. 



Total length : 4-f inch. 



M. M. Cuvier and Valenciennes count 19 soft rays in the dorsal fin, 

 but their figure represents 18 ; the latter is probably taken from a per- 

 served specimen, and gives but an inadequate idea of the exquisitely 

 delicate tints of the living fish. A single, probably young, individual 

 observed at Pinang in June 1845, farther differs from PL 25, Hist. 

 Nat. des Poiss. in having the dorsal spines from the third of equal 

 length, whereas in the plate, their length is represented as gradually 

 increasing from the first to the tenth. The very capacious stomach was 

 expanded with remains of Crustacea. 



