146 



ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



upper free rays the longest and reaching to above the anal spines, the free rays may be six or seven in number : 

 ventral not reaching the vent : second anal spine strongest and much the longest, 1/4 higher than the longest in 

 the dorsal fin : caudal slightly emarginate. Scales — large on the opercles, cheeks with a few small ones inter- 

 spersed : none on the preorbital or suborbital ring. Colours — rosy, with lightish longitudinal lines and a large 

 ill-defined blotch below the soft dorsal extending half way down the side, in some specimens two more descend 

 from the spinous dorsal : a small dark blotch behind the upper edge of the preopercle. Dorsal and caudal fins 

 more or less banded, soft dorsal darker than the spinous portion, and having a light outer edge : caudal with 

 red spots. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and Japan. It is rather common at Madras, attaining 

 to about 4 inches in length. 



This is the species once obtained by Jerdon (M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 132) at Madras, and which he 

 termed Cirrhites fasciatus, C.V. 



2. Cirrhitichthys marmoratus, 



Labrus marmoratus, Lacep. iii, p. 492, pi. v, fig. 3. 



Cirrhites maculatus, Lacep. v, p. 3 ; Cuv. and Val. iii, p. 69. 



Cirrhites maculosus, Bennett, Zool. Journ. 1829, p. 38. 



Cirrhitichthys maculatus, Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 74. 



B. vi, D. i£ P. 7+VII, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 15, L. 1. 40, L. tr. 4/10, Vert. 10/16. 



Length of head 2/7, of caudal 1/6, height of body 2/7 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/4 of length 

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

 of the orbit. Vertical limb of preopercle serrated : sub- and inter-opercles entire. A broad fringed valve to 

 the posterior nostril. Teeth — villiform in the jaws, vomer, and anterior portion of the palatines. Fins — dorsal 

 spines increase in length to the fifth and sixth, which equal two-fifths the height of the body and are as long as 

 the rays, the last spine is a little higher than the one preceding it, no prolonged dorsal ray : pectoral reaches 

 as far as the ventral and equals the length of the head excluding the snout : the ventral extends to the anus : 

 second anal spine strongest, longest, and equalling the highest in the dorsal fin. Colours — body and vertical 

 fins with brown spots, and a row of dark spots along the base of the dorsal. 



Habitat. — Bed Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



KATIVE OFFICIAL OF CUDDALORE AND FISHERMEN (186S). 



