Chap. X.] 



THE SCARUS HARID. 



335 



the East Indian Seas, and of these the one figured 

 above is, perhaps, the most common. 



Another species known to occur on the coasts of Cey- 

 lon, is the Scorpcena miles, Bennett, or Pterois miles, 

 GKinther 1 , of which Bennett has given a figure 2 , but it is 

 not altogether correct in some particulars. 



In the fishes of Ceylon, however, beauty is not con- 

 fined to the brilliancy of their tints. In some, as in the 

 Scarus harid, Forsk 3 , the arrangement of the scales is 

 so graceful, and the effect is so heightened by modi- 

 fications of colour, as to present the appearance of tes- 

 sellation, or mosaic work. 



SCARUS HARID, 

 After Bennett. 



Fresh-water Fishes. — Of the fresh-water fish, which 

 inhabit the rivers and tanks, so very little has hitherto 

 been known to naturalists 4 , that of nineteen drawings 



1 The fish from the Sea of Pi- of Ceylon, Plate xxviii. 



nang, described by Dr. Cantor 4 In extenuation of the little 

 with this name (Catal. Mai. Fish, that is known of the fresh-water 

 p. 42), is again different, and be- fishes of Ceylon, it may be ob- 

 longs to a third species. served that very few of them are 



2 Fishes of Ceylon, PI. ix. used at table by Europeans, and 

 8 This is the fish figured by there is therefore no stimulus on 



Bennett as Sparus pepo. Fishes the part of the natives to catch 



