ACANTHOPTEKYGII. 



second spine is 3/4 as long as the third, but at 20 inches it is not above 1/4 so long : pectoral shorter than 

 ventral, and rounded : caudal fan-shaped. Air vessel — thin, but furnishes a good isinglass. Colours — grey, with 

 a dash of green along the back, and sdvery on the abdonien : during the monsoon time it has a tinge of purple. 

 The immature are usually darker than the adults. 



Having examined Bloch's typical specimen still at Berlin, I find that it has as he states D. 7/ T l . 



Deformities in this fish are by no means rare. In one case the last few dorsal rays were deflected to the 

 left side of the free portion of the tail, and had there become continuous at their bases with the anal spines, 

 which were likewise inserted along the same portion of the fish, whflst the anal rays were in their natural position. 



It is very remarkable how in fishes which have died and stiffened with their mouths open, and the opercles 

 and branchial rays distended, the appearance of the head becomes much changed, whilst it is difficult, or impos- 

 sible to subsequently bring them back to then- normal shape. Thus the profile of the head becomes more 

 horizontal, whilst the posterior extremity of the maxilla does not reach so far back as when the mouth had been 

 naturally closed. 



Habitat. — Seas, backwaters, and mouths of tidal rivers in the East, up which last it often ascends long 

 distances to prey upon its weaker neighbours. It is excellent eating when from the vicinity of large rivers. It 

 salts well, and from it some of the best ' Tamarind-fish' is prepared.* 



Second group — Serranina.t 



Form of body oblong, sometimes elevated. Opercles serrated or armed. Cleft of mouth rather oblique. 

 One, or more rarely two, dorsal fins. 



Genus, 2 — Ckomileptes, Swains. 



Serranichtliys, Bleeker : Lioperca, Gill. 



Branclviostegals seven : jpseudobranehice. Body oblong, compressed. Eyes lateral, of moderate size. Preopercle 

 with its vertical limb finely serrated, its horizontal one entire. Opercle wiili two or three spines. Teeth fine in the 

 javis, vomer, and palate, no canines; internal row in maxilla not fixed. Dorsal fin elevated, having ten or eleven 

 spines, anal with three ; caudal rounded. Scales small, cycloid. 



OF 



SYNOPSIS 



1. Gromileptes altivelis, D. xS-Ixl-, A. - 

 widely separated, black, white-edged spots. Seas of India to China and beyond 



INDIVIDUAL SPECIES, 



L. r. W . Upper profile of head concave. 



Covered with 



The above fish apparently belongs to the group Percina and may be a Lates. It is from a figure amongst the beautiful 

 collection of coloured drawings made on the Coromandel coast of India by native artists, under the immediate supervision of Sir Walter 

 Elliot, K.S.I, of the Madras Civil Service, who has most liberally placed the whole of them at my disposal for the purpose of this work. 

 I have had it engraved in order to direct the attention of inquirers in India to it. 



t Bleeker (Eevis. des espec. Ind-Arch. du groupe des Epinephelini, 1873) divides the Epinephelini (Serranini, pt.) as follows: — 

 I. Dorsal fin single or but slightly notched. Jaws and opercles scaled. Caudal fin with 15 divided rays. 



A. Forehead, snout and suborbitals scaleless. Jaws with canines, which in the mandibles are both 

 anterior and lateral. 



1. Paraserranus, Blkr. Mandible scaleless. Inner row of teeth immoveable. Preopercle with a spine directed backwards. 

 Dorsal with 10 spines ; dorsal and anal scaleless. Scales of moderate size, ctenoid. 



2. Variola, Swains.=Psei«Zoserraiius, Klunz. Mandible scaleless. Inner row of teeth moveable. Preopercle feebly serrated, 

 without any spine. Dorsal with 9 spines : dorsal and anal scaled. Scales very small, ctenoid. 



3. Paracanthistius, Gill=Plectropoma, Gill (Cuv. and Val. ex. parte). Mandible scaled. Inner row of teeth moveable. 

 Preopercle with its lower edge denticulated, the denticulations directed anteriorly. Dorsal with from 6 to 13 spines: dorsal and anal fins 

 with scaly bases. Scales very small, ctenoid in the immature. 



B. Forehead and lower jaw scaled. Inner row of teeth in the jaws moveable : mandibles without lateral 

 canines. Dorsal and anal fins scaled. Scales small. 



1. Epineplielus, ~Bloch=Cephaloplwlis, Bl.Schn.; Labroperca, Mycteroperca,Bodianus, Enneacentrus, Petrometopon, Promicrops, 

 Schistorus, and Menephorus, Gill ; Prospinus, Poey; Priacanthichthys, Day. Teeth on vomer, and palate : canines in the premaxillaries. 

 Dorsal with 9 to 1 1 spines. Scales ctenoid or cycloid. 



2. Cromipeltes, Sv/ams.^SerranicMhys, Blkr. ; TAopetca, Gill. Teeth on vomer, and palate: no canines in the jaws. Dorsal 

 with 10 or 11 spines. Prolile anteriorly concave. Scales cycloid. 



3. Anyperodon, Glinther— Cema, Bp. ? Palate edentulous: no canines in the mandibles. Dorsal with 11 spines. Scales 

 ctenoid. 



