28 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



A barbel of a more, or less, rudimentary character on the chin. Two dorsal fins, the first with seven spines : anal 

 spineless. Scales minute, adherent, and enveloped in the epidermis. Pyloric appendages feiv. 



Geographical distribution — Red Sea, throughout those of India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. 



SYNOPSIS OP INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Grammistes Orientalis, Bl. Schn. D. 7/ T 1 ¥ , A. 9-11. Three spinate denticulations on preoperele. Caudal 

 rounded. Deep brown, with from three to seven narrow white longitudinal bands, which anteriorly are continued 

 on to the head. Red Sea, seas of India, Malay Archipelago, and beyond. 



1. Grammistes Orientalis. Plate IX, f. 1. 



Grammistes Orientalis, Bl. Schn. p. 189 : Cuv. and Val. ii, p. 203, pi. 27 : Bleeker, Amboina, iv, p. 105 ; 

 Gdnther, Catal. i. p. 171 ; Klunz. Fische. Roth. Meer. Verh. z. b. Ges. Wien. 1870, p. 707 ; Bleeker, Epinephelini, 

 p. 129. 



Perca bilineata, Thunb. Nov. Act. Hoi. xiii, p. 142, t. 5. 



Bodianus sex-lineatus, Lacep. iv, pp. 285, 302. 



Scicena vittata, Lacep. iv, p. 323. 



Perca triacanthus et pentacanthus, Lacep. iv, pp. 398, 424. 



Centropomus sex-lineatus, Lacep. v, pp. 688, 689. 



B. vii, D. 7 | i^, P. 16, V. 1/5, A. 9-11, C. 17. 



Length of head 2/7 to 1/3, of pectoral 2/11, of caudal 1/5, height of body nearly 1/3 of the total length. 

 Eyes — diameter 2/7 to 1/4 of the length of head, 3/4 of a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. Body 

 oblong and elongated, sometimes with a slight concavity in the profile above the orbit : lower jaw the longer. 

 The maxilla extends to below the hind edge of the orbit. Vertical limb of preoperele with three spinate 

 denticulations on its border, the upper being the smallest ; some indistinct ones along the lower limb. Three 

 spines on opercle. A rudimentary barbel on the lower jaw, which in a fresh specimen, nearly 4 inches long, 

 equalled half the length of the orbit. Teeth — villiform in jaws, vomer, and palate. Fins — -third dorsal spine 

 the longest equalling one-third of the height of the body below it : soft dorsal, anal, and caudal rounded. 

 Scales — imbedded in epidermis and usually covered with mucus. Colours — of a deep chestnut brown, with three 

 milk-white longitudinal bands, from the head along the body, the inferior ceasing opposite the posterior end of 

 the base of the anal fin. A white median band from the snout to the base of the dorsal fin. 



In some specimens there are six or more white longitudinal lines along either side of the body. 



Seba figures this fish as Grammistes, pi. 27, f. 5. 



Habitat — Seas of India, to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond, attaining only a few inches in length. 

 The one figured is from the Andamans, and life size. 



Genus, 7 — Diplopeion, (Kuhl. and v. Mass.) Ouv. and Val. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchim. Body oblong, compressed. Eyes lateral. Opercle spinate : preoperele 

 with a double edge, the outer of which is denticulated. Teeth villiform in jaws, vomer, and palatines, no canines : 

 tongue smooth. Two dorsal fins, the first with eight spines : anal with two. Scales . small, adherent. Pyloric 

 appendages few. 



Geographical distribution. — Prom the seas of India to China and Japan. This fish I have not personally 

 captured in India, nor found it in local Indian collections ; those taken have been probably mere stragglers. 

 Dr. Jerdon remarks, " this pretty fish is rare at Madras." — (Madr. Journ. Lit. and Science, 1851, No. 39, 

 p. 129.) 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Biploprion bifasciatum, D. 8 | 15, A. ~\. Yellow with two black vertical bands. Indian seas, Malay 

 Archipelago to Japan. 



1. Diploprion bifasciatum, Plate IX, f. 2. 



(Kuhl. and v. Hass.) Cuv. and Val. ii, p. 137, pi. 21 : Tern, and Schleg. Fauna Japon. p. 2, pi. 2, f. A. : 

 Richards. Ich. China, p. 221 ; Bleeker, Verh. Bat. Gen. xxvi, p. 59 and Nat. Tyds. Ned. Ind. vi, 1854, p. 207 

 and Epinephelini, p. 124; Giinther, Catal. i, p. 174; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 29. 



Anoovah meen, Tam. 



B. vii, D. 8 | 14-15, A. ^^ C. 17, L. r. ^L-hr, L. tr. 12/-. 



Length of head 2/7, of caudal 1/5, height of body 2/5 of the total length. Eyes— diameter 1/4 length of 

 head, 1J diameters from end of snout, and 3/4 of a diameter apart. The maxilla reaches to below the middle of 

 the orbit. Preoperele having a double edge the outer of which is serrated, the inner ridge is also stated to be 

 sometimes serrated. Approximating portions of sub- and inter-opercles serrated. Opercle with its two upper 

 spines large, followed interiorly by several smaller ones. Teeth — generic. Fins — third and fourth dorsal 

 spines the highest, and nearly equal to the length of the head behind the front edge of the orbit ; they decrease 

 in length to the last which is very short : anal spines also very short : caudal rounded. Colours — Gamboge 

 yellow with two broad black cross bands. 



Habitat — Seas of India, to China and Japan. 



Sir John Richardson remarks, " specimens exist in every collection of Chinese fishes, and small ones 



