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 

 Ghoetodon Brownriggii 3 , and Acanthurus vittatus, of 



1 Cuv. and Vaeen., Hist Nat. des 

 Poissons, torn. xi. p. 249. It is 

 identical with S. tridactylus, Schn. 



2 Pterois muricata, Cut. and 

 Val. iv. 363. Scorpesna miles, 

 Bennett ; named, by the Singha- 

 lese, 11 Maharata-gini," the Great 

 Bed Fire, a very brilliant red species 

 spotted with black. It is very 

 voracions, and is regarded on some 

 parts of the coast as edible, while 

 on others it is rejected. 



3 Glypkisodon Brownriggii, Cuv. 

 and Val. v. 484 ; Choetodon Brown- 



riggii, Bennett. A very small 

 fish about two inches long, called 

 Kaha bartikyha by the natives. 

 It is distinct from Choetodon, in 

 which Bennett placed it. Nume- 

 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 



