SCIiENA HOLOLEPIDOTA.— Cuv. & Val. 



Pisces. — Plate XV. 



S. capite coeruleo-purpureo, rutilo, flavo et flavo-viride nebulato ; dorso, lateribusque supra lineara lateralem 

 aurantio-carneis effuse purpureo-variegatis, ambobus antice viridi-coeruleo splendentibus ; lateribus 

 infra lineam lateralem pallide carneis viridi-purpnreo prsecipue versus caudam umbratis, Oculis 

 coaruleo-purpureo et flavo-coloribus in forma annulorum ordinatis. 



Longitudo ab apice nasi ad pinnse caudalis extremitatem 3 ped. 



Sclena Hololepidota, Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. des Poissons, torn, v. p. 33. 



Labrtjs Hololepidotus, Lacepede? Hist. Nat. des Poissons, torn. iii. p. 448. pi. 21. fig. 2. 



Colour. — The upper and lateral parts of the head bluish purple, the 

 former flashed with resplendent aurora-red, the latter mottled with clouds or 

 shades of pale saffron-yellow and oil-green; the sides of the lower jaw and 

 the under surface of the head pale flesh-red. The back near to the head, 

 and the sides of the body above the lateral line, immediately under the portion 

 of the back referred to, resplendent greenish blue ; the other parts of the back 

 and of the sides above the line a colour intermediate between flesh-red and 

 Dutch-orange, freely and extensively variegated however with shades and 

 tints of imperial purple, which are most distinct anteriorly. The sides below 

 the lateral line are a light flesh-red, strongly shaded, particularly towards the 

 tail, with greenish purple ; belly pale flesh-red, inclining to reddish white. 

 The first dorsal fin and the basal third of the second a tint intermediate 

 between pearl-grey and flesh-red the other two-thirds of the second dorsal 

 fin shaded with dull reddish purple ; the pectoral fins are a pale pearl-grey, 

 tinted towards the tips with gamboge-yellow ; the ventral fins pearl-grey, 

 sparingly clouded with yellow. The anal and caudal fins are flesh-red, 

 shaded longitudinally with dull reddish purple. Eyes bright bluish purple, 

 and primrose-yellow ; the colours disposed in rings ; the outer ring purple, 

 the inner ring yellow. 



Form, &c. — Figure elongated subovate ; dorsal outline anterior to the first 

 dorsal fin oblique and slightly arched, from the commencement of the first 

 dorsal to the hinder extremity of the second dorsal, slightly sloping down- 

 wards ; from the last-named point it is nearly straight to within a short dis- 

 tance of the caudal fin, and posterior to the straight portion it extends 



