




20. 
LABRUS AUREO-MACULATUS. 

Order, 'Tuoractc. 
Native Name, oO wat yo: 4 Trx-GIRAWAH. 
lL. aureo-macuLatus. Body light brown, inclining to yellow, a white line 
vertically passing from the back to the commencement of the anal fin: from this 
white division to the snout there are numerous black spots, those on the plates 
of the head surrounded by a circle of blue, and on the other side of the white 
division on the back there are three brilliant orange spots, diminishing towards 
the caudal fin, which, with the anal and dorsal fins, are variously spotted with 
black, and marked with a yellow band on their extremities. It isa beautiful 
species, and thence called in Ceylon the Spotted-parrot. Lateral line very 
visible, bow-shaped, convexing under the 16th ray of the dorsal fin, and thence 
extending in aslightly curved line to the sixth or seventh ray of the caudal fin. 
Branchiostegous rays 5. Dorsal 21, nine spinous. Pectoral 13. Ventral 6, 
one spinous. Anal 15, three spinous. Caudal 15. 

Tue Tik-Girawah of the Cingalese is so rarely taken on the southern 
coast of Ceylon, although it delights in rocky situations, that it is but 
occasionally eaten by the natives, and at particular seasons is con- 
sidered unwholesome. It has been known to attain the length of 
eighteen inches. It belongs to the genus Julis of Cuvier, but is one 
of the section with the first ray of the dorsal fins short. 
Figure—The size of the Specimen. 

