1 84 9 .] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes, 1157 



naked space, from the posterior concave margin of which rises a single 

 series of minute, distant, backwards arched teeth. On the vomer ap- 

 pears a transversely oval elevation with velvety teeth ; on each palatal 

 bone a narrow line, and on each pterygoid a broad lanceolate elevation 

 with similar teeth. The tongue is small, but broad, rounded in front ; 

 on each side of the base appears a small oval spot of velvety teeth. 

 The largest individual presented nine longitudinal series of scales above 

 the lateral line, eighteen below, the longest of which contained 52 

 scales. The anal spines gradually increase in length : the posterior, 

 the longest, is less than \ of the length of the succeeding ray. From 

 the figure of Pimelepterus boscii, Lacepede (Cuv. and Val. PL 187,) 

 it would appear, that in that species the second and third anal spines 

 are of equal length. At Pinang single individuals of the present species 

 occur, but rarely, during all seasons. The flavour is said to be very 

 good. 



Gen. Pempheris, Cuvier 1829. 

 Anal fin long, scaly ; dorsal short, elevated ; head obtuse ; eye large ; 

 opercle with a small spine ; velvety teeth in the jaws, on the vomer 

 and palatal bones. 



Pempheris Molucca, Cuv. 

 Pempheris molucca, Cuv. R. A. II. 195 ( l ). 

 Pempheris moluca, Cuv. and Val. VII. 306. 



Pempheris molucca, Temm. Schl. Fauna Japon. Pise. 85, PL XLIV. 



Fig. 3. 

 Pempheris moluca, Richardson, Report 1845, 244. 

 Young. Head above and back pale metallic copper-coloured, lighter 

 on the upper half of the sides ; cheeks, opercles and abdomen silvery 

 with golden and steel-blue reflections ; all parts minutely dotted with 

 brown, on the opercles and cheeks so closely as to acquire the appear- 

 ance of a brown band following the posterior and the inferior margin of 

 the orbit ; lateral line pale orange ; fins pale reddish yellow ; the scaly 

 portion of the dorsal, caudal and anal coloured and dotted like the 

 body ; the upper half of the dorsal spines and membrane so closely 

 dotted with reddish brown, as to acquire a general brownish appearance. 

 Iris pale golden round the pupil ; the rest minutely and closely dotted 

 with black. 



D 6fl, C 17f, A 3/42, V 1/5, P 19, Br. VII. 



