109 

 FISH. luy 



spinous teeth more numerous. If it be distinct it would seem to be undescribed ; 

 though the colours not having been noticed in the recent state renders it difficult 

 to speak with certainty on this point. For the same reason, the specific character 

 may perhaps hereafter be found to require alteration. 



4. Scarus 



Mr. Darwin's collection contains another species of Scarus from the Keeling 

 Islands, which may probably be distinct from all those hitherto noticed, but which 

 being in rather a bad state of preservation, I shall content myself with describing 

 as well as I can, without affixing any name to it, lest in the end it prove not new. 

 Many of the species enumerated in the "Histoire des Poissons" having only their 

 colours noticed, it requires that these should have been observed more in detail 

 than what Mr. Darwin's notes furnish in this instance, in order to decide whether 

 it be identical or not with any of those spoken of in that work. 



Form —A tolerably regular oval, somewhat attenuated at each extremity : dorsal and ventral lines 

 of equal curvature. Nape not at all elevated, and the profile on the whole falling very regu- 

 larly and gradually from thence to the end of the snout, though there is a slight eminence on 

 the forehead. Depth one-fourth of the entire length. Jaws smooth externally, but with the 

 true teeth very distinct upon their surface, and much more so upon their cutting edges than in 

 either of the last two species. One horizontally projecting canine at each corner of the upper 

 jaw, but none in the lower. The terminating lobe of the opercle is slightly emarginated 

 behind, the membrane projecting immediately above the notch in the form of a short salient 

 point. Lateral line interrupted, the upper portion nearly straight, and not inclining down- 

 wards at its posterior extremity: the tubes very slightly ramified, and many of them quite 

 Simple. The scales on the body are very finely granulated and striated: there are no large 

 ones at the base of the caudal. Dorsal and anal low : height of the former contained four and 

 a half times in the depth of the body, and exactly equalling the distance from the upper edge 

 of the back to the lateral line. Pectorals somewhat triangular, the uppermost ray of all a little 

 arcuate. Scale between the ventrals one-third the length of those fins. Caudal slightly 

 crescent-shaped, when the rays are closed : when spread, all the middle rays appear even, the 

 uppermost and lowermost projecting very slightly beyond them. 



D. 9/10; A. 3/9; C. 13, &c. ; P. 14; V. 1/5. 

 Length 6 inches. 

 Colour.-" Body dull reddish and greenish, the colours being blended and mottled : fins banded 

 lengthwise with vermillion-red : head with waving bright green lines."— D.— No trace of bright 

 colours remains in its present state, and the only indication of markings is a narrow crescent- 

 shaped band across the middle of the caudal. 



