86 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XV, 



Pectoral fin : Rays. — The number of fin rays is 15 or 16; either 

 number is equally common. 



Extent. — The extremity of the pectoral fin reaches 

 to the 7th or 8th scale, rarely to the 9th, of the lateral line ; hence 

 it falls distinctly short of the origin of the first dorsal fin. 



Axillary scale.- -No scale which can be called an 

 elongated axillary scale is present, but sometimes a very short 

 pointed scale is found in the axil of the fin. 



Lateral line series. — The commonest number of scales in the 

 lateral line is 30 ; 29 or 31 may also be met with. 



Lateral transverse series. — Every specimen but one that has 

 been examined shewed 10 rows of scales on each side of the body , 

 the one exception gave 9 on the right side and 10 on the left. It 

 should be noted, however, that between the two dorsal fins is a 

 secondary series not included in the count, and there is no median 

 series in this position. 



Origin of the dorsal fins. — Most commonly the first dorsal fin 

 originates above the 10th scale of the lateral line ; sometimes above 

 the 9th or 11th. The second dorsal starts above the 19th to the 

 21st scale, usually the 20th- 



Position of the anal fin. — Half the base of the anal fin is in 

 advance of the second dorsal. 



Proportions. — The length of the body- overall, is 4% to 57^- 

 times the length of the head. 



The length of the head is a little more than 3 to 3% times 

 the diameter of the eye. 



The snout measures % the diameter of the eye in length. 



The height of the body is frequently greater than, and the 

 caudal fin equal to, the length of the head. 



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

 orbital part of the head, or more than l / 2 the total length of the 

 head. 



The length of the pectoral fin is a little short of the length of 

 the head, not including the snout. 



The length of the strong first spine of the first dorsal fin is 

 2 /j, or more of the length of the head. 



The third spine of the anal fin is 3 / 7 or % the length of the 

 head, or equal to the width of the interorbital space. 



