42 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



snout, and 1 apart. A swelling over the anterior upper edge of 

 the orbit. Teeth molars very broad. Fins dorsal spines in- 

 creasing in length to the third and fourth, behind which they 

 continue about the same length ; pectoral extends to above the 

 anal ; caudal deeply forked and elongate in the young. Colour 

 rosy, scales with darker edges ; base of pectoral violet. 



Considerable changes in the form of this fish occur with age, 

 the head becoming much more obtuse in adults, the preorbital 

 comparatively higher and the upper jaw longer, extending further 

 posteriorly in old specimens. Markings on the body disappear 

 with age, but black or deep blue spots, which are absent in the 

 young, appear at the bases of the dorsal and anal fins. 



Hab. Ceylon and Malay Archipelago. 



5. Genus PAGRUS, Cuv. 



Syn. Aryyrops, Swains. 



Branchiostegals six ; pseudobranchiae. Jaws with an anterior row 

 of conical canines, and laterally two rows of rounded molars, with 

 sometimes a rudimentary third. A single dorsal fin with from 11 to 

 12 spines, sometimes elongate, receivable into a groove at their 

 base ; anal with 3. Scales of moderate size, extending on to the 

 cheeks. Air-bladder simple. Pyloric appendages, when'present, 

 in small numbers. 



Geographical Distribution. Atlantic, Mediterranean, Eed Sea, 

 and Indian Ocean to New Zealand. 



781. (1.) Pagrus spinifer. (Fig. 16.) 



Spams spinifer, Forsk. Descr. Anim. p. 32, no. 23. 

 Pagrus spinifer, Day, Fish. India, p. 138, pi. xxxiii, fig. 5, Suppl. 

 p. 787 (see synon.). 



Soh-ru, Baluch. ; Kooroota, Tel. ; Pununtlai, Tarn. 

 D. 11-12/9-11. P. 15. A. 3/8-9. L. 1. 53. L. tr. 6-7/18. Ca)c. pyl. 5. 



Length of head 3| to 3|, height of body 2| to 3| in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 3j to 4 in length of head, 1| to 2 diam. 

 from end of snout, and nearly 1 apart. Teeth four conical 

 incisors in front of each jaw, with about three rows of rounded 

 teeth immediately behind them ; two rows of teeth with rounded 

 crowns along the sides of either jaw, the hindermost small and in 

 more than two rows, the first few in the outer row of the maxilla 

 may be more or less conical. Fins dorsal spines compressed, the 

 young having filamentous prolongations, first two very short, just 

 appearing above the scales, the third the longest in the fin ; the 

 2nd anal spine a little stronger than the third and of about equal 

 length ; caudal emarginate. Scales cycloid. Colour whitish, 

 with pinkish bands passing along the middle of every scale and 

 becoming rather indistinct below the middle of the body. In 



