26 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



The specimen of Serranus erytTvrceus, figured in the " Fishes of Zanzibar" is identical with this species as 

 suggested by Bleeker ; also Kelaart's skin a, p. 116 of S. pachycentrum* which has L. r. \-\%, L. fcr. 22/ — , and 

 is the same as the large specimens of S. leopardus in the British Museum. S. Sonnerati, Playfair, Fish. 

 Zanzibar, p. 3, pi. hi, fig. 1, has L. r. *■££ and 9 rows of scales between the lateral line and the base of the sixth 

 dorsal spine, it appears to.be identical, as already suggested by Bleeker with his Epiuephelus (Serranus) 

 miltostigma. 



Amongst Sir Walter Elliot's drawings are three of this species showing variations of colour. Jerdon 

 (M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 129) observes that " the intensity of the red varies a good deal, and it is sometimes 

 marked with white spots." 



Habitat — East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. The specimen 

 figured is that of a female 13 inches long captured in February, 1859, at Madras, where it is not uncommon and 

 attains at least 3 feet in length. 



30. Serranus boelang, Plate VII, fig. 2. 



Serranus boelang, Cuv. and Val. ii, p. 308, vii, p. 504 ; Quoy and Gaim. Voy. Astrol. p. 657, pi. 3, fig. 4 ; 

 Playfair, Fish. Zanz. p. 2. 



Serranus nigrofasciatus, Hombr. and Jacq. Voy. Pol. Sud. Poissons, p. 36, t. 2, f. 1. 



? Merous unicolor, Lienard, Nat. Hist. Soc. Maur. 1839, p. 31. 



Serranus microprion, Bleeker, Amb. ii, p. 552 ; Giinther, Catal. i, p. 116. 



Serranus stigmapomius, Rich. Ich. China, p. 232. 



Serranus boenach, Giinther, Catal. i, p. 112 (not Bloch) ; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 21. 



Epinephelus boelang, Bleeker, Epinephelini, p. 49. 



Epinephelus microprion, Bleeker, Atl. Ich. Perc. t. ii, fig. 1, and Epinephelini, p. 47 (? variety). 



B. vii, D. ttj-^, P. 15, V.l/5, A. &, C. 17, L. r. ff, L. tr. 18/36 (Case. pyl. 6-7, Kner). 



Length of head 4/13 to 2/7, of caudal 2/11, height of body nearly 2/7 of the total length. Eyes — 

 diameter 1/5 of length of head, 1J diameters from end of snout, and 2/3 of a diameter apart. The maxilla 

 reaches to some distance behind the posterior edge of the orbit. Preopercle with its vertical limb finely serrated, 

 the serrations being continued along its angle and a short distance on to its horizontal border : fine serrations 

 upon the sub- and inter-opercles. Opercular spines strong especially the central one. Teeth — small canines in 

 both jaws, the outer row of teeth in the maxilla, and the inner in the mandible larger than the villiform bands 

 which are comparatively of small size. Fins — dorsal spines rather strong and from the third are about equal in 

 length but not so long as the rays : pectoral a little longer than the ventral and equalling the length of the head 

 excluding the snout : second anal spine much the strongest and also the longest, being equal to two-fifths of the 

 height of the body : soft portions of the dorsal and anal angularly rounded : caudal rounded. Scales — ctenoid 

 on the body, ten rows between the lateral line and the base of the sixth dorsal spine. Colours — purplish, with 

 from eight to nine vertical bands on the body not so wide as the ground colour : when freshly captured, the one 

 over the free portion of the tail is very dark : a dark mark behind the two upper opercular spines, and a blackish 

 edge to the dorsal, which in the soft portion of the anal and the caudal is margined with white. 



S. microprion, Bleeker, which may be a variety of this species has blue spots over the head and shoulders. 



Habitat — Red Sea, East coast of Africa, through the seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. It does 

 not appear to attain a large size. The one figured, life-size, came from the Andaman Islands. 



Genus, 4 — Vakiola, Siuains. 



Pseudoserranus, Klunz. 



Branchiostegals seven ; pseudobranchice. Body oblong, compressed. Eyes lateral of moderate size. Preopercle 

 with its vertical limb feebly serrated, its horizontal one entire. Opercle with three spines. Teeth villiform in the jaws, 

 vomer and palate : canines present, and the inner roiv of teeth in both jaws moveable : some conical teeth along the rami 

 of the mandibles. Dorsal fin single toith nine spines : anal with three : caudal deeply emarginate. Scales small, 

 ctenoid, none on the snout, suborbitals, or maxilla. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Variola louti, D. t-A-6> -A- f > I Ji r w Vertical limb of preopercle slightly emarginate and finely 

 serrated. Caudal deeply emarginate. Red, with small darker spots on the body and most of the fins, some of 

 which last are edged with yellow. East coast of Africa, Ceylon. 



1. Variola louti, Plate VII, fig. 3. 



Perca louti, Forsk. p. 40. 



Bodianus louti, Bl. Schn. p. 332 ; Lacep. iv, p. 286. 



* Valenciennes observes that he had only seen one specimen and that was in the Leyden Museum, 7 French inches long. His 

 especial reason for considering it a new species appears to he the character of the scales which were small and ctenoid. Those on the sides 

 being slightly keeled, forming about 20 horizontal rows. This appearance is more seen in some specimens than in others, and is not 

 peculiar to this species. In 1867, a Serranus diacanthus about 18| inches long, which was not quite fresh, was brought to me at Madras. 

 I had it preserved as a skin and dried rather too rapidly, the result being that all the rows of scales on the body show a well developed 

 keel. I have also seen this appearance caused in fish which have been immersed, from the first, in spirit of too great a strength. 



