84 Madras fisheries bulletin vol. xv, 



of first and second dorsal fins respectively. My records give 

 two exceptions only, viz., the 9th and 20th in one case, and the 

 Ilth and 22nd in the other; but it will be seen that here, too, the 

 same relative position is maintained. One less or one more may, 

 however, frequently result from error, or difficulty, in counting ; 

 this possibility is all the more probable since, in the two cases 

 mentioned, the reach of the pectoral fin was also respectively one 

 less and one more, viz., 7th and 8th scale. Giinther places the 

 origins at the 10th to Ilth and 22nd to 23rd scales, while Day 

 places them at the 9th and 20th. 



Position of the anal fin. — The anal fin is advanced by about 

 % of the length of its base before the origin of the second dorsal. 



Proportions. — The total length of the body is 5 to 5% times the 

 length of the head. 



The length of the head is 3% to 4% times the diameter of 

 the eye, but in most cases 4 times exactly. In this respect the eye 

 is distinctly smaller proportionately than in M.jerdoni. 



The length of the snout is about Y\ of the diameter of the eye. 



The length of the head and caudal fin, and the height of the 

 body are about equal. 



The least depth of the tail is equal to the length of the post- 

 orbital part of the head, or more than half the total length of the 

 head. 



The length of the pectoral fin is equal to that of the head, not 

 including the snout. 



The first spine of the first dorsal fin is about % the length of 

 the head. 



The length of the third anal spine is a little more than }/$ of the 

 length of the head. 



Colour. — This fish presents no striking colour characters, but 

 the edge of the second dorsal and the extremity of the caudal are 

 often dark; faint lines are frequently present along the rows of 

 scales in the upper half of the body. 



The first dorsal fin is stout, and the first spine is stronger than 

 the rest. The second dorsal, caudal and anal fins are heavily 

 scaled. 



MUGIL JERDONI Day. 



D. 4 I l/8. A. 3/8-9. L. 1. 30. L. tr. 10. 

 As already mentioned, this species is difficult to distinguish 

 from M. planiceps. with which it has much in common. The 



