1 84 9 .] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1025 



Habit. — Sea of Pin an g. 



Ceylon, Red Sea, Bourbon. 



Total lenth, 9f inch. 



The length of the head is } of the total, equalling that of the caudal 

 fin ; the eye occupies the third fourth from the muzzle. Besides the 

 nasal spine, there are two or three supraorbital ones, of which the 

 posterior is the largest ; behind it proceeds the spiny temporal ridge 

 obliquely downwards to the commencement of the lateral line, which has 

 one or two spines. On each side of the occiput appears a very broad 

 spine, sharp like a knifeblade, with two points. The ridge of the 

 infraorbital bones is spiny, proceeding obliquely over the cheek towards 

 the margin of the preopercle, from which rise three spines. The sur- 

 face beneath the infraorbital ridge is uneven to the touch, but without 

 spines. The interval between the orbits is broad, equalling the trans- 

 versal diameter of the eye. From the central supraorbital spine rises 

 a pointed fleshy filament, which in the young equals one-half of the 

 vertical diameter of the eye ; but in the adult it is much shorter, or 

 absent. The most constant of the other filaments is one on the upper 

 jaw near the angle of the mouth, and the largest are two or three on the 

 lower margin of the preopercle. The membrane of the three or four 

 upper pectoral rays has a very deep incision, so as to give each ray a 

 feather-like appearance, and the points of the lowest four or five rays 

 are free, projecting beyond the membrane. The length of the pectoral 

 fin varies not only according to age, but also individually. In a young 

 one the point of this fin reaches to the middle of the caudal, its length 

 being about f of the total. In one of two adults of equal length, 9f 

 inches, the pectoral measures 3J inches, in the other 4f inches. In 

 the fish as commonly seen, but a small portion of the base of the dorsal 

 spines is connected by the membrane. In such, however, as have been 

 examined alive, the instant they are taken out of the sea, the mem- 

 brane is found continued along the posterior margin of each spine 

 till near the point, where an elongated long flap appears, like the pen- 

 dant of a lance. Out of the element the scarlet colour of the fish soon 

 fades to a deep rose-colour, which then makes the vertical stripes, on 

 which the brown net-work appears, more conspicuous. The fish appears 

 to be a heavy swimmer, and as observed by Bennett, it never attempts 

 to support itself in the air. At Pinang single individuals occur at all 



6 q 2 



