100 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



? Cichla erythrura, Bl. Sclin. p. 336. 



Gerres abbreviatus, Bleeker, Java, i, p. 103, and Mcenicl. p. 11; Giinther, Catal. i, p. 345, and iv, j>. 257; 

 Kncr, Novara Fische, p. 56, t. iii, f. 3a (Pharyngeal teeth.) . 

 Diapterus abbreviatus, Bleeker, Revis. Gerr. p. 16. 



B. vi, D. ft, P. 15, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 17, L. 1. 37-40, L. tr. 6/11. 



Length of head 1/4, of caudal 2/9, height of body 2/5 to 3/8 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 2/5 to 1/3 of 

 length of head, 2/3 to 3/4 of a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. Snout somewhat spatnlate : the posterior 

 process of the premaxillary reaches to opposite the first third of the orbit. Preopercle entire or finely serrated along 

 its vertical limb.* Teeth — fine. Fins — dorsal spines strong, the second rather longer than the third, and almost 

 equal to the length of the head, both rather curved. Pectoral reaching to opposite the middle of the base of the 

 anal and longer than the head : second anal spine the strongest, the third slightly the longest, equalling the 

 distance from the posterior edge of the orbit to the end of the snout : caudal deeply forked, upper lobe slightly 

 the longer. Free portion of the tail higher at its commencement than long. Scales — five rows between the 

 lateral-line and the base of the fifth dorsal spine : scaly sheaths to dorsal and anal fins well developed. Colours — 

 silvery- white, darkest along the back, each scale with a rather indistinct spot, but forming longitudinal bands : 

 fins yellowish, dorsal with a blackish edge and a spot on each spine and ray just above the sheath. 



Longest specimen obtained 7ft inches m length. 



Bloch's specimen of a Gerres is still in a good state of preservation in the Berlin Museum, it is about 9 

 inches long, and as the height of the body is 3^- inches, it is difficult to understand how Val. could have 

 considered it identical with G. oyena, having the height of the body equal to about 1/4 of the total length. It is 

 so unlike the figure of Sparus erythrurus that I consider.it better to leave the fish under Bleeker's name. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



7. Gerres poeti, Plate XXVI, fig. 1. 



Cuv. and Val. vi, p. 468 ; Bleeker, Mcenid. p. 11 ; Giinther, Catal. i, p. 341, and iv, p. 256 ; Kner, Novara 

 Fische, p. 55. 



Diapterus poeti, Bleeker, Saparoua, p. 360, and Revis. Gerr. p. 18. 



B. vi, D. ft, P. 15, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 17, L. 1. 40, L. tr. 6/11. 



Length of head 2/9, of caudal 2/11, height of body 1/3 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 2/5 of length 

 of head, 2/3 of a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. The groove for the premaxillary reaches to opposite 

 the middle of the eye : the maxilla to below the first third of the orbit. Teeth — fine. Fins — dorsal spines not 

 very strong, the second and third compressed and somewhat arched, the second being slightly the longer, and 

 equal to the length of the head excluding the snout, the last spine nearly as high as the rays and equal to the 

 postorbital portion of the head. Pectoral as long as the head and reaching to above the anal spines : the 

 ventral extends three-fourths of the distance to the anal : second anal spine the strongest, stouter than any in 

 the dorsal fin, and slightly longer or of the same length as the third which equals three-fourths of the height of 

 the second of the dorsal fin : caudal forked. Scales — the sheath to the dorsal fin moderately developed : no 

 scales on the caudal : five rows between the highest point of the lateral-line and the base of the dorsal fin. 

 Free portion of the tail higher at its commencement than it is long. Colours — silvery, with a dark edge to the 

 dorsal fin, and the outer edge of the caudal greyish : spots along the base of each dorsal spine and ray, and 

 more or less distinct lines along the rows of scales on the body. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India, Malay Archipelago, and beyond. My longest 

 specimen is 7 inches. 



8. Gerres limhatus. 



Cuv. and Val. vi, p. 476; Giinther, Catal. iv, p. 259; Day, Fishes Malabar, p. 160. 

 Catochcenum limbatum, Cantor, Catal. p. 55. 

 Diapterus limbatus, Bleeker, Revis. Gerr. p. 17. 



B. vi, D. ft, P. 15, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 17, L. 1. 35, L. tr. 4/10. 



Length of head 1/4, of caudal 3/13, height of body 4/13 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/3 of 

 length of head, 2/3 of a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. The maxilla reaches to below the first third 

 of the eye. Fins — dorsal spines not very strong, the second and third of about equal length, compressed and 

 somewhat arched, the third being- slightly the longer and equal to the length of the head behind the middle of 

 the orbit, the last spine nearly equal to half the height of the rays and almost as long as the postorbital portion 

 of the head : pectoral as long as the head and reaching to nearly above the anal spines : ventral extends three- 

 fourths of the distance to the anal : second anal spine much the strongest, also stronger than those in the dorsal 

 fin but slightly shorter than the third which nearly equals the second of the dorsal fin : caudal deeply forked. 

 Scales — the sheath of the dorsal fin moderately developed : numerous fine scales over the caudal : three rows 

 between the summit of the lateral-line and the base of the dorsal fin. Free portion of the tail as high at its 



* In a specimen from the Malabar coast, which has 40 scales along its lateral-line, the second dorsal spine is only eqnal to 

 three-fourths of the length of the head, and the second of the anal is slightly shorter in proportion than in my Andamanese specimens 

 v>hicli latter however have the spines not quite so strong. The Andamanese specimens have the angle and lower limb of the preopercle 

 cienulated but not serrated : others from the Malay Archipelago have neither serrations nor crenulations. 



