FAMILY, III— MULLID^E. 125 



them to the middle of the body, their number may be decreased by their amalgamating into one, or increased by 

 their being split up into several. There is usually a third band over the free portion of the tail or a spot 

 on the side of its base. Second dorsal, anal, and sometimes the outer half of the ventral finely banded, 

 occasionally a dark basal band exists on the second dorsal. 



Habitat. — Seas of India, to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



4. Upeneus luteus, Plate XXXI, fig. 2. 



Upeneus luteus (? Cuv. and Val. vii, p. 521) ; Bleeker, Perc. p. 63. 



Upeneus cyclostoma, Giinther, Catal. i, p. 409 (not Cuv. and Val.) ; (? Klunz. Fische R. M. Verh. z. b. 

 Ges. Wien, 1870, p. 745.) 



Mullus luteus, Playfair, Fish. Zanz. p. 41. 



Parupeneus luteus, Bleeker, Amb. p. 281, and Revis. Mull. p. 32. 



B. iv, D. 8/9, P. 15, V. 1/5, A. 7, C. 15, L. 1. 30, L. tr. 2/7. 



Length of head 1/4, of caudal 1/5, height of body 1/4 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 6| in the 

 length of the head, 3| diameters from the end of snout, and If apart. Height of head nearly equals its length. 

 Interorbital space a little convex : the profile from the snout to the base of the first dorsal fin is in a moderate 

 and even curve. No open pores on the preorbital. The maxilla reaches to about midway between the snout 

 and the hind margin of the orbit. Barbels with roughened elevations along their whole length and extending 

 to a little behind the posterior edge of the preopercle. Opercular spine of moderate size. Teeth — a single row 

 of conical ones in either jaw. Fins — first spine of dorsal minute, the third and fourth the longest and equal to 

 1J in the height of the body and nearly twice as high as the anterior dorsal rays : three rows of scales between 

 the bases of the two dorsal fins : pectoral three-fourths as long as the head : caudal deeply forked, the lobes 

 pointed. Scales — ctenoid, present on snout, maxilla and cheeks, none on the preorbital bone. Two entire 

 rows between the lateral-line and the bases of the dorsal fins. Lateral-line — the branches of the tubes very- 

 short but numerous. Free portion of tail rather longer than high at its base. Colours — reddish, the edges of 

 the scales somewhat the darkest. A broad purplish band, having a light yellow edge on either side, goes from 

 below and in front of the eye to the snout : the lower band is continued backwards across the upper edge of 

 the opercle where it joins another from the lower edge of the eye : a third narrow yellow band goes from the 

 upper edge of the eye backwards. Outer edge of preopercle purplish. The centre of each scale on the body, 

 except the first thirteen of the lateral-line, has a golden spot : abdomen yellowish. Second dorsal and anal 

 with from three to five bluish longitudinal lines. 



This species very nearly resembles the figure of U. Vlamingii, C. V. iii, pi. 71, but has its second dorsal 

 much lower. 



Habitat. — East coast of Africa and seas of India, attaining at least a foot in length. Specimen 12 inches long. 



5. Upeneus displurus, Plate XXXI, fig. 3. 



Mullus displurus, Playfair, Fish. Zanzibar, p. 41, pi. v, fig. 4 (not 3) adult. 

 Mullus pleurotoenia, Playfair, 1. c. fig. 3 (not 4) young. 



B. iv, D. 8/9, P. 15, V. 1/5, A. \, C. 16, L. 1. 31, L. tr. 2-2|/7. 



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

 diameter 3/14 to 1/5 of length of head, 1| to 1^ in the postorbital portion of the head, 2| to 2J from end of 

 snout, and lj apart. Snout pointed, compressed. The maxilla reaches to rather more than half way below 

 the front edge of the orbit. Barbels extend to below the hind margin of the preopercle. Interorbital space 

 slightly convex : opercular spine of moderate strength. Fins — fourth dorsal spine rather the longest and equal to 

 three-fourths of the height of the body below it : three rows of scales between the two dorsal fins : front 

 portion of the second dorsal equals two-thirds the height of the first dorsal : pectoral as long as the head 

 anterior to the hind edge of the orbit : anal commences slightly behind the origin of the second dorsal : caudal 

 deeply forked and the lobes pointed. Scales — on snout and head including most of the preorbital bone : the 

 uncovered portion has some rather large pores. Colours — reddish, the edges of the scales being slightly 

 darkest. A broad purplish band, having a light silvery edge, passes from in front of the eye to the snout : 

 two more narrow silvery lines, formed of short oblong spots, proceed from hind edge of orbit for a short 

 distance : the two rows above the lateral-line, and generally the three below, have a golden-yellow spot in the 

 centre of each scale : a light golden band over the free portion of the tail. First dorsal marbled with brown, 

 the second with four and the anal with three reddish bands : caudal reticulated with light grey markings. 

 Specimens from the East coast of Africa are said to have two shining light longitudinal bands, the first from 

 the orbit to the middle of the soft dorsal, and the second, which is broader, from the upper lip to the middle of 

 the back. 



Some confusion appears to have occurred respecting Colonel Playfair's two species, the markings stated 

 to exist on the fins of pleurotcenia are shown on those of displurus by the artist. In the type specimens I am 

 unable to trace any spots on the fins, whilst the two shining longitudinal bands are very distinct, but they are 

 also slightly apparent in the large specimen. Also the dark band over the tail is present in the smaller- 

 specimens as well as in the large one. The situation of the eyes as shown by the artist appear to me to be 

 correct although at variance with the text. 



