92 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XV, 



largest of which measured 16 cm. in length. Its characters are as 

 follow : — ■ 



Adipose lids. — Absent. 



Interorbital space. — Flattened ; its width is 1% to \V\ times the 

 diameter of the eye. 



Uncovered chin space. — This is of moderate width, and is con- 

 stricted in the middle. 



Mandibular angle. — The rami of the lower jaw meet at an 

 angle of about 1 12 degrees, i.e., the angle is " normal." 



Preorbital bone — Not strongly bent at the angle of the mouth ; 

 scaled, and serrated posteriorly and ventrally. 



Maxilla. — The end of the maxilla is exposed 



Pectoral fin : Rays. — There are l6 or 17 rays in the pectoral fin. 

 Extent. — The fin extends to the 9th scale of the 

 lateral line series, falling well short of the origin of the second 

 dorsal fin. 



Axillary scale. — There is no elongate scale in the 

 axil of the fin. 



Lateral line series. — 36 scales are present in the lateral line. 



Lateral transverse series. — There are 12 rows of scales on 

 each side of the body ; one specimen shewed 12 on the right and 13 

 on the left side. 



Origin of the dorsal fin. — The first dorsal originates above the 

 I2th scale of the lateral line, and the second dorsal above the 

 24th. 



Position of the anal fin. — The origin of the anal fin is in 

 advance of that of the second dorsal by Vz of its base. 



Proportions. — The total length of the body is 4% to 4% times 

 the length of the head. 



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

 eye. 



The length of the snout is % of the diameter of the eye. 



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

 the height of the body are approximately equal, but the length 

 of the head is usually slightly the greatest. 



The least depth of the tail is less than Y 2 the length of the 

 head, and very slightly less than the postorbital part of the head. 



The length of the pectoral fin is less than the length of the 

 head, excluding the snout. 



