1 84 9 . J Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1221 



tudinal series contains 27, an oblique 13 scales. The lateral line pro- 

 ceeds straight along the upper fourth of the body towards the ninth 

 dorsal ray, from whence it declines towards the middle of the side and 

 proceeds straight towards the caudal. The line is composed of tubes, 

 from each of which, anterior to the ninth dorsal ray, branch off 

 backwards a superior and inferior smaller tube. The greatest vertical 

 diameter of the body equals the length of the head. The first seven 

 dorsal spines are shorter than the rest, which makes the anterior part 

 of the fin lower than the posterior. The stomach is a short elongated 

 tube, slightly more voluminous than the intestinal canal which is 

 thrice doubled upon itself. The length of both is ■§■ of the total. 

 The air-vessel is small, elongated conical, of a silvery colour. Single 

 individuals occur, but rarely, at Pinang. 



Gen. Scarus, Gronov. 1763. 



Jaws (intermaxillary and premandibular bones) convex, rounded, 

 with teeth, arranged like scales, on their edge and anterior surface ; 

 lips single, fleshy ; body oblong with large scales ; lateral line inter- 

 rupted ; one inferior and two superior pharyngeal plates with teeth 

 like transverse laminae. 



Scarus psittacus, Forskal. 



Scarus psittacus, Forskal, 29. 



Scarus psittacus, Shaw, IV. 397. 



Scarus psittacus, Cuv. R,. A. II. 266 ('). 



Scarus psittacus, Riippell : Atlas, 77, Tab. 20, Fig. 1. 



Scarus psittacus, Ruppell : Neue Wirbelth. Fische, 28. 



Scarus psittacus, Cuv. and Val. XiV. 226. 



Petronason psittacus, Swainson, II. 226. 



Young. Head above and ground-colour of the back and side.* 

 greenish light-blue ; all the scales of the latter parts with broad orange 

 margins, forming a net-work ; cheeks, opercles, throat and abdomen 

 reddish white ; upper lip surrounded by a light blue streak ; a second 

 similar from the angle of the mouth obliquely upwards surrounding 

 the lower half of the orbit ; a third from the chin to the cheek ; a 

 fourth at the anterior margin of the preopercle obliquely backwards 

 over the opercle ; a fifth along the posterior margin of the preopercle ;• 



