170 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



spot. A deep black spot behind the gill-opening, a dark mark in the axilla. In some rare instances a dark 

 spot may exist on the upper edge of the eye. 



I have only collected two species of this genus on the Coromandel coast of India (see pi. xli.), and am 

 of opinion that they are the two that Russell (plates civ. and cv.) obtained from the same place. Russell 

 distinctly shows one has a band on its eye, pi. civ. (see also pi. xli. f. 2.) The one with the banded eye is by far 

 the commonest, and I consider it as M. murdjan. 



The second species is easily recognised by its more or less black fins, and appears to be M. adustue. 

 Admitting that Russell's description does not coincide, neither does it with his own figure. He gives B. viii, 

 D- H (ii). p - 15 > V ' V 7 (s)> a - t (to"), 0. 21 ; his figure gives D. ±i A. ■&, demonstrating that his numbers 

 are not trustworthy. 



Jerdon (M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 131) observes: " Myripristis botche, C. V. Mooncla kun kakasi, Tarn. 

 Russell, 105." 



Dr. Giinther, Catal. i, p. 21, considers Russell's fish (pi. cv.) is identical with M. murdjan, but Bleeker 

 points out that the colours in the two are very differently disposed on the fins. 



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

 figured is 8f inches in length and from the Coromandel coast of India. It is not nearly so common as the 

 M. murdjan. 



,•• 



2. Myripristis murdjan, Plate XLI, fig. 2. 



Scicena murdjan, Porsk. p. 48 ; Gmel. Linn. p. 1301. 



Perca murdjan, Bl. Schn. p. 86 ; Lacep. pp. 396, 418. 



Sparus sullaneroo-kuntee, Russell, Fish. Vizag. ii, p. 3, pi. civ. 



Myripristis murdjan, Rupp. Pische Roth. Meer. p. 86, t. xxiii, f. 2, and N. W. F. p. 95 ; Cuv. and Val. iii, 

 p. 177 and vii, p. 495; Bleeker, Amb. p. 109, and Revis. Myrip. 1871, p. 11; Giinther, Catal. i, p. 21; Kner, 

 Novara Fische, p. 4; Playfair, Fish. Zanz. p. 51 (part); Klunz. Fische Roth. Meer, Verb., z. b. Ges. Wien, 

 1870, p. 726. 



Myripristis melanophrys, Swains. Fish, ii, p. 207. 



B. viii, D. 10 | „!„, P. 15, V. 1/7, A. ^i^, C. 19, L. 1. 28-30, L. tr. 3|/7|. 



Length of head 3j to 3|, of caudal from 1/5 to 2/9, height of body from 1/3 to 3j in the total length. 

 Eyes — diameter 2j to 2\ in length of head, 1/3 of a diameter from end of snout, and about 1/2 a diameter apart, 

 the width of the interorbital space equalling from 1/4 to 4j in the length of the head. Posterior edge of hind 

 nostril usually serrated in the young. Lower jaw slightly the longer, having a rough, nipple-like projection on 

 either side of the symphysis. The maxilla reaches to beneath the last third of the orbit, it has some blunt 

 denticulations on its front near its lower end. Under surface of lower jaw furrowed by ten or twelve grooves : 

 the maxilla, pre- sub- and inter-opercles also grooved. Preopercle serrated in its whole extent. Interopercle 

 finely denticulated : opercle with a moderately strong spine, having a few denticulations above it, and the whole 

 of its outer margin below it serrated. Sub-opercle with an emargination opposite the base of the pectoral fin. 

 Shoulder-scale serrated. Upper surface of the head roughened by three or four raised lines, which, passing 

 backwards, divide and subdivide, each terminating in a small spine. Teeth — villiform in the jaws, with an 

 external row of widely separated ones which are larger and conically rounded, none on the tongue. Fins — 

 dorsal spines increasing in length to the third which is about the same height as the three next or equal to one 

 diameter of the orbit, the interspinous membrane rather deeply emarginate, front portion of the second dorsal 

 higher than the first. Pectoral as long as the head behind, the middle of the eye in the adult, longer in the 

 young : ventral reaches two-thirds of the distance to the anal. Third anal spine the strongest but the fourth 

 the longest and equal to 2/5 to one-third in the length of the head : caudal forked. Free portion of the tail 

 about as high at its base as it is long. Scales — about seven rows along the preopercle. Colours — roseate, gill 

 openings deep brownish-black, or else like coagulated blood, a dark mark in the axilla. A dark vertical band 

 through the eye, sometimes confined to above the pupil. Dorsal, caudal, and anal fins with milk-white outer 

 edges ; a dark mark, often deep black, may be present or absent at the highest points of the soft dorsal and anal 

 fins, also at the tips of the caudal. Rarely there is a dark mark along the first dorsal. Outer edge of ventral 

 white. 



Myripristis kuntee, Cuv. and Val. vii, p. 487, was considered in the Hist. Nat. des Poissons to be identical 

 with Russell's fish, a conclusion doubted by Bleeker, whilst Dr. Giinther considers it closely allied to M. 

 pralinius, C. V. 



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

 and beyond. The specimen figured is a little over 6 inches in length, and from Madras : my longest is 11 j inches 

 long. It is very common at Madras especially about February. 



Genus, 2 — Holocentrum, Artedi. 

 BhyncMchthys, Cuv. and Val. (young*) ; Gorniger, Agassiz. 



* The genus Rhynchichthys, Cut. and Val., is probably formed of the young of some of these species, and is distinguished by an 

 elongated, pointed, and more or less transparent snout, the same as is perceived in some immature fresh water Indian siluroids. A small 



