6 
PERCIES. 
Caudalis rounded. Denticulation of the preeoperculum stronger at the angle. Sub- 
and interoperculum entire. The height of the body is contained thrice and three-fourths, 
and the length of the head thrice and one-fourth in the total length. The diameter 
of the eye is one-seventh of the length of the head. The pectorals do not reach the vent. 
Colour light brown, marbled and spotted with darker. There are also a number of 
large irregular blackish-brown spots arranged as five or six interrupted cross bands, the 
last of which crosses the tail behind the dorsal. The snout has a reddish tinge. The 
fins are marbled and spotted with blackish brown, the interstices having a reddish 
tinge toward the margin. 
Zanzibar. Bed Sea. Mozambique. Hope Island , JSI.E. coast of Australia. 
14. Serranus dispar, sp. n. Plate I. figs. 2, 3. [423, 389.] 
D. A. L. lat. c. 80. 
Diagnosis. — Caudalis rounded. The height of the body is contained four times, and 
the length of the head thrice and two-thirds in the total length. The diameter of the 
eye is contained five times and a half in the length of the head. The upper maxillary 
bone reaches to the vertical from the posterior margin of the orbit. Upper limb of 
the proeoperculum rather strongly serrated, with a few stronger denticulations at the 
angle. Sub- and interoperculum entire. The third, fourth, and fifth spines of the 
dorsal are the longest, and about one-third the length of the head. Pectorals longer than 
the ventrals. 
The two varieties described below differ greatly in coloration; but they have one 
common feature in the series of large round spots, about the size of the orbit, which 
runs along the back. 
Description. — The form is oblong, rather elongated : the greatest height is above the 
ventrals ; it is one-fourth of the total length, and nearly half the length of the dorsal 
fin. The length of the head is contained three times and two-thirds in the total length. 
The distance between the eyes is about equal to their diameter, which is contained five 
times and a half in the length of the head. The length of the snout is about once and 
a half the diameter of the eye. 
The cleft of the mouth is moderately oblique, the upper maxillary bone reaching the 
vertical from the posterior margin of the orbit. The upper limb of the prseoperculum is 
rather strongly serrated, with a few stronger denticulations at the angle ; the lower limb 
is scarcely, and the sub- and interoperculum not serrated. The operculum terminates in 
three spines : the two upper are conspicuous, flat, short, and triangular ; the third is 
hidden in the scales. The lower margin of the upper and the upper margin of the 
second spine form nearly a right angle. 
The lower two-thirds of the dorsal are covered with minute scales. The spinous por- 
