70 



MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN 



VOL. XIV, 



and with numerous cleeper-hued blotches. It has a peculiar habit 

 of resting, tripod fashion, upon the tail and pectoral fins, folding 

 down close to the body the intervening anal and ventral fins. It 

 even moves about on the bottom by working the long pectoral 

 finrays in the manner of legs. 



Another pale red fish in this tank is the little Scolcpsis 

 vosmcri (Tarn. Kddai Diiu), remarkable for the presence of a great 

 white patch on each cheek — possibly a " recognition mark," like 

 the white buttocks of many antelopes and the little white bob-tail 

 of the wild rabbit. 



One of the few Sea-Breams of Indian waters, Chrysophrys hcrda 

 (Tam. Kantppu maltivaii), a stoutly built silvery fish, also lives in 

 this tank. 



Some of the Horse Mackerels and Yellow Tails (Tam. Parai), a 

 common family in Madras waters, are occasionally on view in 

 this tank, or in No. 6. They are silvery fish sometimes tinged 

 on the fins with yellow, and with minute scales like the true 

 mackerel. Their striking peculiarity is a row of bony shield-like 





Fig. 6. — Oae of ihe Horse-Mackerels (Card^ir affinis'). 



plates on either side of the tail. The larger species find ready 

 sale although their quality cannot be classed as other than fair. 

 Young ones have the habit of taking refuge under the umbrella- 

 like disc of large jelly-fishes. 



Examples of two common crawfishes of these seas, the Spiny 

 Lobster {PamiUnix) and the Squat Lobster {Scyllarus) are occa- 

 sionally shown in this tank. Bath have the curious habit of 

 swimming bick wards by means of a vigorous flipping of the 



