2 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



Fam. PERCIDjE. 



Genus LATES, Cuvier and Valenciennes. 



Branchiostegals, seven : pseudobranchiae present. Preorbital, and humeral bones strongly serrated, 



preopercle with strong spines at its angle, and denticulated along its inferior margin, opercle spinate. 



First dorsal with seven or eight, anal with three spines. Tongue smooth. Teeth villiform, on upper and 



lower jaws, vomer and palatine bones. 



Lates calcaeifer. 



Holocenteus CALCARIFER, Block, Auslandische Fische, t. 244. 



Lates nobilis, Cuv. & Vol. ii. p. 96, pi. 13 ; Cantor, Catalogue of Malayan Fishes, p. 1. 



Lates calcarifer, Giinther, Catal. i. p. 68. 



Coius vacti, Hamilton Buchanan, Fishes of the Ganges, pp. 86, 369, pi. 16. f. 8. 



Pandoomenoo, Russell, Fishes of Coromandel, pi. 131. 



Begti, Bengallee. Nuddee meen, Malayalim. 



B. vii. D. 7-8 | xx.Lj. P. 17. V. \. A. ? %. C. 17. L. 1. 52. L. tr. T 7 T . 



Length of head about \, of pectoral \, of caudal \, of base of dorsal \, of base of anal ^ of 

 total length. Height of head \, of body f of total length. 



Eyes — Diameter f length of head, § of a diameter apart, If from end of snout. 



Preorbital and preopercle finely serrated, the latter with its angle obtuse, having a large 

 tooth directed backwards, and three smaller (but strong) denticulations along its inferior margin. 

 Opercular spine weak. Suprascapular and coracoid bones toothed, about five on the former, from 

 six to ten on the latter. 



Teeth — Villiform on upper and lower jaws, vomer, and palatine bones. 



Fins — Dorsal spines strong, the first half as high as the second, which is not quite a third as long 

 as the next, which is the highest : from thence they rapidly decrease. Third anal spine more than 

 double the length of second, which is twice that of the first. The first dorsal triangular, second 

 dorsal and anal square. Pectoral small and rounded. Ventral slightly rounded, caudal fan-shaped. 



Colours — Generally grey with a dash of green along the back, and silvery on the abdomen : 

 in the monsoon time with a tinge of purple, whilst young specimens are darker than adults. 



Very plentiful, grows to five feet in length. Is excellent eating, salts well, and from it some 

 of the best " Tamarind fish" is made. Air bladder thin, a large fish not yielding above one ounce 

 of isinglass. It is known as the " Nair fish" in Malabar, and the " Cock-up" in Calcutta. 



Habitat — Seas and estuaries of India and Malaysia. 



Genus SERRANUS, Cuv. and Vol. 



Branchiostegals, seven. Preopercle more or less serrated, with its lower limb entire : opercle with 

 two or three flat spines. Dorsal fin single, with from eight to twelve spines : anal with three. Teeth 

 villiform in jaws, with more or less pointed ones and distinct canines in each intermaxillary, also on vomer 

 and palatine bones. Tongue smooth. Scales small. 



Serranus SEXFASCIATUS. 

 Serranus sexfasciatus, Cuv. & Val. ii. p. 360; Giinther, Catal. i. p. 108. 



