12 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



coarsely along its concavity, angle rounded, inferior limb nearly horizontal, having from eight to 

 ten serratures. Sub- and interopercles entire, the latter with a tuberosity, the size of which varies. 

 Opercle with two fiat spines, the lowest the largest. Suprascapular serrated. 



Teeth — Villiform in both jaws, in two or three rows, with an external conical band about 

 three times the size of the others : two large canines in either intermaxillary : villiform teeth on 

 vomer and palate. 



Fins — First dorsal spine half the height of second, which is two thirds the length of the next, 

 which is one-thirteenth shorter than the fourth, the highest in the fin, from thence they decrease to 

 the last ; all the spines are moderately strong. Ventral spine pretty strong. First anal spine rather 

 strong, two-fifths the length of the second which is the longest and strongest, the third being one- 

 eleventh shorter. Soft portions of dorsal and anal rounded. Caudal slightly emarginate. Ventral 

 pointed, first ray prolonged. 



Scales— None between or before the eyes. Above the opercle they run upwards and back- 

 wards to the first six dorsal spines, beyond this they proceed in five horizontal rows parallel to 

 the back, the superior row terminating at the end of dorsal fin. Below the lateral line the 

 scales are in horizontal rows, the first three terminating on the lateral line, which passes parallel 

 to the back. 



Colours — Back greenish, abdomen yellowish, a large black finger mark on the lateral line, 

 between the twenty-second and thirtieth scales, extending to one below, and three above it. Head 

 and cheeks rather fighter than the rest of the body, and of a golden tinge shot with purple, a 

 lighter line passes over the broad scales on the shoulder. Along the centre of each row of scales 

 is a dark mark which is more apparent in some fish than in others ; in the Ganges, at Pinang and 

 elsewhere it is nearly black, dependant upon the character of the water. In some specimens each 

 scale is tipped with a metallic golden colour. Dorsal spinous portion grey : soft dorsal, caudal, 

 ventral, and anal yellowish dashed with red Pectoral yellowish. 



Common, grows to five feet in length, and is fair eating. 



Habitat — Seas and estuaries of India, Malaysia, China, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean. 



Mesopeion sillaoo. Plate II. Fig. 1. 



Mesoprion sillaoo, Cuv. & Vol. ii. p. 476. 

 Sillaoo, Russell, pi. 100. 



B. vii. D. \%. P. 1(3. V. i. A. f. C. 17. L. 1. 50. L. tr. T ^. 



Length of head f , of pectoral \, of caudal \, of base of dorsal §, of base of anal ^ of total 

 length. Height of head \, of body f , of hard dorsal -f g , of soft dorsal \, of ventral ^, of anal ^ of 

 total length. 



Bye — Transversely oval, its transverse diameter \, and its vertical \ of length of head, nearly 

 2 diameters from end of snout, § of a diameter apart. 



Maxilla extends to beneath the anterior third of orbit. Preopercle, vertical limb widely 

 but not deeply emarginate in its lower half, where it is finely serrated, angle rounded with about 

 six very blunt denticulations, lower limb very short and horizontal. Sub- and interopercles 

 entire, a protuberance in the upper angle of the latter. Oj^ercle with two blunted points, no 

 distinct spines. Suprascapular veined but entire. 



Teeth — An external row of conical teeth in both jaws, with two or three villiform bands in 

 each intermaxillary and upper jaw, but only a few in the anterior portion of the lower jaw. Large 

 canines in each intermaxillary. Numerous fine villiform teeth on vomer and palate. 



