332 
FISHES. 
[Chap. X. 
there are quantities of the curious little fish, Salarias 
alticus 1 , which possesses the faculty of darting along the 
surface of the water, and running up the wet stones, with 
the utmost ease and rapidity. By aid of the pectoral 
and ventral fins and gill-cases, they move across the 
damp sand, ascend the roots of the mangroves, and climb 
up the smooth face of the rocks in search of flies ; ad- 
hering so securely as not to be detached by repeated 
assaults of the waves. These little creatures are so 
nimble, that it is almost impossible to lay hold of them, 
as they scramble to the edge, and plunge into the sea 
on the slightest attempt to molest them. They are 
from three to four inches in length, and of a dark brown 
colour, almost undistinguishable from the rocks they 
frequent. 
But the most striking to the eye of a stranger are 
those fishes whose brilliancy of colouring has won for 
them the wonder even of the listless Singhalese. Some, 
like the Eed Sea Perch (Holocentrum rubrum, Forsk) 
and the Great Fire Fish 2 , are of the deepest scarlet and 
flame colour ; in others purple predominates, as in the 
Serranus flavo-cceruleus ; in others yellow, as in the 
Gkoetodon Brownriggii 3 , and Acanthurus vittatus, of 
1 Cuv. and Vaxen., Hist. Nat. des 
Poissons, torn. xi. p. 249. It is 
identical with S. tridaotylus, Schn. 
2 Pterois muricata, Cut. and 
Val. iv. 363. Scorpcena miles, 
Bennett; named, by the Singha- 
lese, " Maharata-gini," the Great 
Eed Fire, a very brilliant red species 
spotted with black. It is very 
voracious, and is regarded on some 
parts of the coast as edible, while 
on others it is rejected. 
3 Glyphisodon Brownriggii, Cuv. 
and Val. v. 484 ; Chcetodon Brown- 
riggii, Bennett. A very small 
fish about two inches long, called 
Kaha bartiJcyha by the natives. 
It is distinct from Choetodon, in 
which Bennett placed it. Niime- 
rous species of this genus are scat- 
tered throughout the Indian Ocean. 
It derives its name from the fine 
hair-like character of its teeth. 
They are found chiefly among coral 
reefs, and, though eaten, are not 
much esteemed. In the French 
colonies they are called " Chauffe- 
soleil." One species is found on 
