SQTJAMIPINNES. 17 



or seven curved blue bands on the side radiate from the head and 



converge upon the soft dorsal fin; pectoral yellow, with a blue 



band at its base. Dorsal and anal fins dark, the first with a blue 



upper edge ; anal with three blue lines on it and a light blue 

 margin ; caudal yellow, with a narrow orange tip. 



Hal>. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, China, and 

 beyond ; attaining at least a foot in length. 



747. (4.) Holacanthus diacanthus. 



Chaetodon diacanthus {Boddaert), SI. Schn. Syst. Ich. p. 220. 

 Holacanthus diacanthus, Day, Fish. India, p. 113 (see synon.). 



D. 14/19. P. 19. V.l/5. A. 3/19. C.17. L.r.52. L.tr.7/25. 



Length of head 5, height of body 3| in the total length. Eyes 

 diameter 4| in length of head, 1| diam. from end of snout and 

 also apart. Preopercle strongly serrated, its spine strong, equal in 

 length to about 2 diameters of the orbit. Fins soft dorsal and 

 anal rounded ; third anal spine longest and strongest ; caudal 

 rounded. Colour yellowish, with from 8 to 12 vertical blue 

 brown-edged bands, those on the body being continued on to the 

 vertical fins. A short band along the snout, two from the summit 

 of the head to the eye and to a little below it ; one traverses the 

 opercle, and about eight exist on the body ; caudal yellow. Anal 

 with bluish streaks parallel to its base. 



Hab. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



748. (5.) Holacanthus xanthurus. 



Holacanthus xanthurus, Bennett, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 183 ; Day, Fish 



India, p. 113, pi. xxix, fig. 2 (see synon.). 

 Kul-Jcasa, Tamil. 



D. 14/19. A. 3/1 8-19. C.17. L.I. 50. L. r. 50-55/45. L.tr.7/22. 



Length of head 4 to 4^, height of body 2 in the total length 

 excluding caudal filament. Eyes diameter 3 to 3| in length of 

 head, 1 diam. from end of snout and also apart. Dorsal and 

 abdominal profiles about equally convex. Preopercle having a 

 strong smooth spine, which is equal to or rather above 1 diameter 

 of the orbit in length. Fins fourth dorsal spine slightly the 

 longest, last equal to third ; soft portion of the fin slightly 

 rounded ; third anal spine longest, strongest, and one third longer 

 than the longest dorsal, the soft portions of the two fins similar; 

 caudal rather rounded, with its upper ray produced into a filament. 

 Scales strongly ctenoid and longitudinally fluted, much smaller 

 above than below the lateral line. Colour body greyish brown, 

 darker along the back, and becoming black over the tail as well as 

 on the vertical fins, head, and chest ; a lightish opercular band and 

 a small but brilliant yellow shoulder-spot ; dorsal and anal fins 



