409 



FASCIATED FILE-FISH. 



Balistes Fasciatiis. B.JlavuSj fascia utrinque ohliqua nigra. 

 Yellow File-Fish, with an oblique black band on each side. 

 Baliste echarpe. Cepede. 



Shape rhombic-ovate, very slightly lengthened : 

 colour of the upper parts pale yellow : head deep 

 yellov\^ : upper lip surrounded by a bright-blue 

 band : aross the body, but in an oblique direction, 

 a broad black band, including the eyes, and pass- 

 ing to the base of the anal fm : end of the body on 

 each side marked by a large black triangle, point- 

 ing forwards : in the area of this triangle are placed 

 three or four longitudinal rows of small spines : first 

 or small dorsal fin situated beyond the eyes, and 

 consisting of three rays with a membrane ; the first 

 ray very thick, and rough: ventral spines of similar 

 appearance : pectoral fins, second dorsal, anal, and 

 caudal pale, but the pectoral marked by a red 

 spot : it is also to be observed, that the extremity 

 of the body or base of the tail is surrounded by a 

 black band ; that the lower parts of the body are 

 of a red-brown colour, and that a narrow pale-blue 

 stripe descends from the front of each eye to the 

 base of the pectoral fins, forming an accompany- 

 ment to the broad black band before mention- 

 ed. This beautiftd species is a native of the In- 

 dian seas, and is described by Cepede from the 

 MSS. of Sonnerat, but without any mention of the 

 size. 



