THE FISHES OF MALABAB. 03 



edges of the intermaxillaries, making (hem appear rough like a file. The lower jaw on its upper 

 and external margins is similarly covered to beneath the posterior margin of the orbit. Teetb 

 of the same description on vomer and palate. 



Fins — A short distance in front and below the level of the base of the pectoral fin arise four 

 articulated filaments, the two posterior of which are usually longest, and equal the length of the 

 head : in one specimen there were three free rays on the left side, and four on the right. The first 

 dorsal arises over the first third of the pectoral, the ventral opposite its posterior third. The 

 second dorsal commences a little nearer the base of the caudal than it does to the orbit, the anal 

 arises opposite to it. The distance between the root of the ventral and the commencement of the 

 anal, equals the extent from the anterior margin of the orbit to the end of the opercle. First 

 dorsal triangular, its spines weak, membrane slightly emarginate : first spine very short, the second 

 the longest, from whence they rapidly decrease. Second dorsal highest in front, first ray the 

 longest, its upper margin slightly concave, its general form trapezoid. Pectoral slightly pointed, 

 an elongated scale at its base. Ventral small and triangular with a badly developed but elongated 

 scale at its base. Anal rather larger than second dorsal, but of the same shape. Caudal lobed in 

 its posterior two-thirds, the upper one slightly the longest. 



Scales — Moderate, ctenoid, disposed the same as in the last species. 



Lateral line — Consists of single well marked tubes, its direction is nearly straight, with a 

 very slight downward curve from opposite the first dorsal, and a moderate rising opposite the end 

 of second dorsal, at the base of the caudal it divides into two branches which slightly diverge, and 

 again subdivide each into two more. 



Colours — Head and back silvery green, becoming silvery white on the sides and abdomen. 

 Dorsal and caudal greyish with minute black points, and darkest — nearly black — at their margins. 

 Pectoral, ventral, and anal fins, pale orange, filaments white. A dark niai-k on upper portion of 

 opercle. Cheeks and suborbital region golden. Iris silvery with a golden green tinge on its 

 upper surface. 



No air bladder. Pyloric appendages very numerous. 



Grows to six feet in length in the Gangetic estuaries, but rarely above three feet in Malabar. 

 Is excellent eating. It appears to be very numerous in Cochin, especially in the months of 

 December and January, when numbers are taken by trolling. Of course, having no air bladder it 

 is useless for the manufacture of isinglass. 



Habitat — Seas of India, Malaysia, and China. 



Fam. SPHYR^NIDjE. 

 Genus SPHYE^ENA, Artedi. 



Branekiostegals, seven : pseudobranchiae. Body elongated, subcylindrical. Eyes lateral, of moderate 

 size: cleft of mouth wide, armed with large strong trenchant teeth in both jaws and on the palatine 

 bones. Preopercle entire. Opercle without spines. Two dorsal fins, remote, similar to and opposite 

 second dorsal. Ventrals abdominal. Scales small, cycloid : lateral line continuous. Air bladder large, 

 sometimes bifurcated anteriorly. Pyloric appendages many. 



