THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 87 



Length of head \, of pectoral f, of caudal |, of base of first dorsal ], of base of second dorsal 

 rather more than J, of anal ^ of total length. Eeight of head ], of body l t , of first dorsal }„ of 

 second dorsal ^, of ventral §, of anal T ^ of total length. 



Ey es — Each with a small adipose lid along their anterior and posterior margins. Diameter 

 A- of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, 1 diameter apart. 



Body elliptical, decreasing considerably posteriorly ; profile, from the snout to the hori- 

 zontal spine in front of the first dorsal fin, forming the segment of a circle ; from the commence- 

 ment of the second dorsal there is a gradual slope. The finless portion of the tail is straight and 

 cylindrical : the lower profile of the head and abdomen not so much curved as that of the back. 



Mouth oblique and deep : the maxilla extends backwards to opposite the posterior third of 

 orbit : the lower jaw has a tubercle at its symphysis. Preorbital twice as long as deep, with a 

 raised portion in its upper half, which is stellated inferiorly. Preopercle rather more than twice 

 as high as wide, posterior limb nearly vertical, and the angle rounded : inferior limb slightly 

 oblique. Opercle twice as high as wide with a slight emargination in the upper portion of its 

 posterior margin. Central crest on the head well developed and the lateral ridges more moderately 

 so. Nostrils approximating, situated opposite the upper third of the orbit, from whence they are 

 only one-third of the distance from the orbit to the snout. 



T ee th — I n upper jaw an external rather widely separated conical row, with a villiform series 

 posteriorly ; in the lower jaw a single series intermixed with conical ones. 



Fins — Pectoral and ventral commence on a line, the first dorsal slightly posteriorly, and the 

 second dorsal midway between the snout and the external margin of the centre of the caudal. The 

 two anal spines are situated under the commencement of the second dorsal, and the anal fin 

 opposite the sixth or seventh dorsal ray. First dorsal triangular, spines weak, the whole being 

 capable of being laid flat in a groove ; the third spine is the highest, the upper margin rather 

 rounded, and the last spine terminates close to the second dorsal. In front of the first dorsal is a 

 horizontal spine hidden in the integument. The first ray of the second dorsal is the longest, after 

 which they rapidly decrease to the seventh, from whence they continue about the same height, 

 the last being slightly prolonged : its upper margin is at first concave : a low sheath exists along 

 its base. Pectoral falcate, the fourth and fifth rays the longest. Ventral spine weak. The 

 second of the two anal spines the longest. Spine of anal fin rather more than one-third the 

 height of the first ray : shape of the fin the same as that of the second dorsal, with a short sheath 

 along its base. Caudal deeply lobed in its posterior three-fifths, with a slight soft raised keel along 

 the base of each lobe. The length of the finless portion of the tail equals the diameter of the eye. 



S ca l es _Cover the body, chest and summit of head to opposite the nostrils, also the cheeks and 

 the upper portions of the preopercle and opercle. 



Lateral line — Forms a curve to opposite the fifth dorsal ray, but in this course is at first a 

 little concave as far as the fifth dorsal spine. The last or straight portion of the lateral line is 

 covered with armed plates, the widest of which equals one-seventh of the height of the body. 



Colours— Body golden with a tinge of grey along the back, and also on the upper surface and 

 front of the head. AVhen alive this fish has a bright bluish silvery reflection shot with gold. Some 

 darkish blotches on the first dorsal, and the summit of the second dorsal greyish black. Point of 

 the upper lobe of the caudal of a deep black, and in some specimens the black border is continued 

 round the whole of the posterior margin of the fin : after death these last mentioned dark 

 markings fade. Eye bright orange. 



Very common, and enters the mouth of the river at Cochin, but the largest specimens, which 



