84 
POMACENTRIM. 
rapidly from the dorsal fin towards the snout. Teeth rather narrow, about thirty-six in 
the upper jaw. Preeorbital ring very narrow below the middle of the eye, its width 
being about one-third of the diameter of the orbit ; breadth of the interorbital space 
rather more than the diameter of the eye. The fifth, sixth, and seventh dorsal spines 
longest, and longer than the last ; soft dorsal higher than long ; free portion of the tail 
very short and elevated. 
Colour in a dried state uniform brownish olive, with darker lines along the series of 
scales. Vertical fins blackish ; ventrals black ; a black spot superiorly at the angle of 
the pectorals. 
Length 5 inches. 
Aden. 
HELIASTES, Cuv. 
291. Heliastes lepidurus. [712.] 
Heliases lepidurus, Cuv. Val. v. p. 498. 
Heliastes lepidurus, Giinth. Fish. iv. p. 63. 
Zanzibar. East-Indian archipelago. New Guinea. 
292. Heliastes opercularis, sp. n. Plate XI. fig. 2. [527.] 
E. jjp A. L. lat. 29. L. transv. 3/9. 
Evidently closely allied to II. axillaris, Benn., and to II. xanthurus, Bleek. The 
height of the body is contained three times and a half in the total length, or twice and 
a half in that without caudal ; the length of the head is one-fourth of the latter. Teeth 
in a narrow band, with an outer series of larger ones. Width of the preeorbital less 
than half the diameter of the eye ; breadth of the interorbital space greater than the 
diameter of the orbit ; prseoperculum distinctly emarginate on its posterior limb. Spines 
of dorsal slender, the fourth and fifth the longest, thence they decrease gradually in 
length, the last being equal to the second ; soft portion much higher than long, one of 
the longest rays is once and two-thirds the length of the fourth dorsal spine. Caudal 
deeply forked. Second anal spine half the length of the head. Scales on the cheeks in 
four series; preeorbital scaly. 
Colour brownish, the cutaneous sheath of each scale with a darker margin. A large 
irregular black patch behind the gill-opening, a similarly coloured line along the posterior 
margin of the prceoperculum, a large black spot around base of pectorals , a smaller 
oblong one on superior surface of ventrals, and cl still smaller irregular spot on the 
central caudal rays. Dorsal and anal black, with light posterior margins ; caudal 
brownish, with upper and lower edges black and posterior margins light. 
Length 5f inches. 
Zanzibar. 
