THE FISHES OF MALABAE. 15 



Genus AMBASSIS, Cuv. and Val. 

 Chanda, Ham. Buck. 

 Bagoda, pt. Bleeker. 



Branchiostegals, six : two dorsals, the first with seven spines, the anal with three. A recumbent spine 

 in front of dorsal fin, pointing forwards. Lower limb of prcopercle with a double denticulated edge. 

 Opercle without a prominent spine. Body compressed, more or less diaphanous. No canines, but teeth 

 on vomer and palatine bones. Scales large or moderate, frequently deciduous. 



Ambassis Commersonii. 

 Ambassis Commersonii, Cuv. § Val. ii. p. 176, pi. 25 ; Giinih&r, Gatal. i. p. 223. 



B. vi. D. 7 | y} lT . P. 15. V. l. A. f. L. 1. 30-33. L. tr. f 2 . Vert. T V 



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

 length. Height of head \, of body I, of first dorsal -£, of second dorsal --, of ventral \, of anal \ of 

 total length. 



Eyes — Diameter \ length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, neai'ly 1 diameter apart. 



Maxilla extends to beneath the anterior third of orbit. Nostrils comparatively large. 

 Preorbital rather strongly denticulated, denticulations passing downwards and slightly back- 

 wards. Preopercle, vertical limb finely denticulated, inferior limb with its double edge den- 

 ticulated, the posterior teeth the coarsest with the exception of two or three large ones at the angle 

 of the anterior edge. Inferior margin of interopercle very finely serrated at its posterior angle : in 

 young specimens these serratures are only visible with the aid of a magnifying glass. Subopercle 

 entire. Two or three very blunt and small spinous processes at posterior superior angle of orbit. 



Teeth — Villiform, an external series of conical ones, about three times as large as the posterior 

 rows, exists in both jaws and each intermaxillary. Teeth on vomer and palatines, in a single sharp 

 series. 



Fins — Dorsal spines moderately strong, straight, or curved slightly backwards, second the 

 longest, from whence they decrease to the last. Ventral spine not very strong. First anal spine 

 two-sevenths of length of the second and third which are equal, but the second spine is at least 

 twice as broad as the third. First dorsal triangular. Pectoral rather pointed, reaching as far 

 as first spine of anal. Ventral triangular, it does not extend so far as the anal by the length of 

 the diameter of the orbit. 



Scales — Deciduous. Lateral line at first convex, becoming nearly horizontal opposite pos- 

 terior third of second dorsal. 



Colours — Beautifully silvered with purplish reflections, a bright silvery metallic band of colour 

 passes from orbit to centre of caudal. Opercle of burnished silver, back slightly greenish ; the 

 silvery peritoneum is visible through the abdominal walls. In some specimens there is a blackish 

 mark between the first and second spines of dorsal, and also between the upper part of the second 

 and third. 



Common, grows in Malabar to seven inches in length. Found in fresh and brackish water. 



Habitat — Fresh waters and estuaries of the East Indies, sometimes in the sea. Also the Bed 

 Sea, Mauritius, and the shores of North Australia. 



Ambassis nalua. 



Ambassis nalua, Cuv. & Val. ii. p. 182 ; Giinther, Catal. i. p. 225. 

 Chanda nalua, BucL Ham. pp. 107, 371, pi. 6, f. 36 ; Canto?-, Catal. p. 6. 



