THE FISHES OF MALABAR. G5 



opposite the centre of the pectoral, then bending gradually downwards until opposite the origin 

 of the second dorsal, from whence it proceeds direct to the centre of the caudal. 



Air vessel long and cylindrical. 



Colours — Greyish green above, white beneath. Fins greyish. Dorsal, caudal and anal tipped 

 with white. Some cloudy bands pass from the back downwards towards the abdomen. Iris pale 

 golden, dark above. 



Grows to four feet in length, and is sometimes eaten by Europeans, but is not esteemed. 



Habitat — Red Sea, Seas of India, Malaysia, China, and the Cape of Good Hope. 



* Sphyilena OBTUSATA. 



Sphyr^na obtusata, Guv. & Val. iii. p. 350. Cantor, Catal. p. 24 ;- Gunther, < latal. ii. 

 p. 339. 



B. vii. D. 5 | i. P. 12. V. \. A. i C. 17. L. 1. 90. 



Length of head T 3 S of total length. Height of body from \ to T 2 7 of total length. 



Eyes — Oval, the horizontal diameter J of length of head. 



Lower jaw either deficient in, or with a very slight fleshy appendage at symphysis. Preopercle 

 almost rectangular, with angle slightly produced. Opercle terminates in a single flat membraneous 

 point. 



Teeth — Small but with three longer ones (the second, third and fourth) anteriorly on either 

 side of palatine bones. 



Fins — The ventrals are situated in front of the first dorsal, opposite the posterior half of the 

 pectorals. The caudal is less deeply cleft than in the last species. 



Colours — The upper surface of the head and back of a dark greyish green, paler on the upper 

 part of the sides, and clouded beneath the lateral line, the cheeks and the remainder of the sides 

 of a pale silvery colour; the abdomen white; pectorals and ventrals whitish; the other fins and 

 the iris the same as in the S. jello. 



Grows to two feet sis inches in length. 



Habitat— Red Sea, Seas of India, Mauritius, Malaysia, to Port Jackson in Eastern Australia. 



Pam. TRICHIURIDjE. 

 Genus TKICHIUPOJS, Linn. 



Branchiostegals, seven : pseudobranchise. Body elongate, bandlike, compressed, with the tail 

 tapering to a point. Eyes lateral. Muzzle elongate. Cleft of mouth wide. One dorsal extending along 

 the whole length of the back : no caudal : ventrals thoracic, reduced to a pair of scales or absent : anal 

 spines numerous, minute, sometimes concealed in the skin. Gill openings wide. Strong teeth in the jaws 

 and on the palatine bones, none on the vomer. No scales. Air bladder present. Pyloric appendages 

 numerous. 



Trichiurus malabaricus, Plate V. 

 Trichiurus Malabaricus, Day, Proc. Zool. Society, 1865, p. 20. 

 B. vii. D. 132 P. 11. 



K 



