70 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



Teeth — Strong, lancet shaped, laterally compressed, those in the upper jaw varying in number 

 from fifteen to twenty-five, the posterior ones being rather the smallest. In the lower jaw there 

 are from ten to fifteen of the same shape, but the posterior ones are the largest. Villiform 

 teeth exist on the vomer in a small triangular space, which is somewhat rounded anteriorly, and a 

 long narrow band of two or three rows is found on the palatine bones. 



Fins — Ventral arises opposite the first third of the pectoral and on a line with the first dorsal : 

 the second dorsal commences opposite the anal and midway between the centre of caudal fin and 

 the anterior exti'emity of the snout. The spines of the first dorsal are weak, and end in thin fila- 

 mentous points projecting beyond the membrane, which is deeply notched. Cantor observes that 

 " the anterior dorsal and anal fin rays are preceded by four spines, which however cannot be dis- 

 tinctly perceived without removing the covering scales and integuments." The second dorsal is 

 highest in front with its upper margin concave, it is situated opposite the anal which it resembles, 

 the unlets commence just behind them, and are continued opposite each other to the root of the 

 caudal. Ventral small. Pectoral pointed. Caudal with pointed lobes, its posterior margin 

 forming a semicircle ; each lobe with a raised soft ridge along its base, between which is the ter- 

 mination of the lateral line in the form of a raised soft horizontal keel. 



Scales — Small, elongated, some exist on the second dorsal, caudal, and anal fins, and from the 

 infraorbitals round to the posterior margin of the orbit, also extending for a short distance over 

 the upper margin of the preopercle. 



Lateral line — At first in upper third of body, makes a gradual and not very distinct curve to 

 opposite the twelfth or thirteenth dorsal ray, where it forms a sort of angle and then bends down, 

 making a second curve from opposite the first to the third pairs of fmlets, beyond which it passes 

 direct to the centre of the caudal, where it ends in a soft raised keel between the bases of the lobes. 



Colours — Summit of head and back of a deep bluish purple, with golden green reflections, 

 lighter on the sides and body to a little beneath the lateral line ; the rest of the sides, the abdo- 

 men, opercles and cheeks, shining silvery with lilac reflections ; membrane of anterior dorsal fin 

 pale greyish lilac, minutely dotted with brown, upper margin black : second dorsal, anal, and their 

 spurious fins pale silvery lilac ; anal and its spurious fins with white margins : caudal silvery, 

 blackish ; ventrals white ; anterior half of pectorals white, posterior blackish ; between the gill 

 opening and the root of the tipper margin of the pectorals a large black spot. Iris silvery, bluish 

 black near the orbit. After death the sides above the lateral line acquire a number of close, 

 vertical, undulating lines and spots ; beneath the lateral line there are black lines, but fewer and 

 more distant. 



Grows to four feet in length, and is inferior eating to the C. guttatum ; it should be dressed 

 when quite fresh ; salts well. 



Habitat — From east and south coasts of Africa through the Red Sea, Seas of India, Malaysia 

 and China, 



* Cybium LINEOLATUM. 



Cybium lineolatum, Guv. & Val. viii. p. 170; Cantor, Catal. p. 110; Gunther, Catal. 

 ii. p. 370. 



B. vii. D. 16 | 16 | ix. P. 21. V. J. A. r f.^ | x. C. 15. 

 Length of head J of 'otal length. Height of body ^ of total length. 



