Chap. X.] 
THE PTEROIDS. 
333 
Bennett 1 , and numbers, from the lustrous green of their 
scales, have obtained from the natives the appropriate 
name of Giraway, or parrots, of which one, the Sparus 
Hardwickii of Bennett, is called the " Flower Parrot," 
from its exquisite colouring, being barred with irregu- 
lar bands of blue, crimson, and purple, green, yellow, 
and grey, and crossed by perpendicular stripes of 
black. 
Of these richly coloured fishes the most familiar in 
the Indian seas are the Pteroids. They are well known 
on the coast of Africa, and thence eastward to Polynesia ; 
but they do not extend to the west coast of America, 
and are utterly absent from the Atlantic. The rays of 
the dorsal and pectoral fins are so elongated, that when 
specimens were first brought to Europe it was con- 
jectured that these fishes have the faculty of flight, and 
hence the specific name of " volitans." But this is an 
error, for, owing to the deep iDcisions between the pec- 
toral rays, the pteroids are wholly unable to sustain them- 
selves in the air. They are not even bold swimmers, 
living close to the shore and never venturing into the 
deep sea. Their head is ornamented with a number of 
filaments and cutaneous appendages, of which one over 
the shores of the New World ( Gr. 
saxatalis), and it is curious that 
Messrs. Quoy and Caimard found 
this fish at the Cape de Verde 
Islands in 1827. 
1 This fish has a sharp round 
spine on the side of the body near 
the tail; a formidable weapon, 
which is generally partially con- 
cealed within a scabbard-like in- 
cision. It raises or depresses this 
spine at pleasure. The fish is yellow, 
with several nearly parallel blue 
stripes on the back and sides ; the 
belly is white, the tail and fins 
brownish green, edged with blue. 
It is found in rocky places ; and 
according to Bennett, who has 
figured it in his second plate, it is 
named Seweya. It has been known, 
however, to all the old ichthyolo- 
gists, Valentyn, Eenard, Seba, 
Artedi, and has been named Chce- 
todon lineatus, by Linne. It is 
scarce on the southern coast of 
Ceylon. 
