THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 89 



Lateral lint — At first forms a strong curve, opposite the commencement of the anal, ami in 

 the upper two-fifths of the body passes direct in a keeled line to the centre of the caudal. 



Colours — Bluish silvery above, silvery shot with pink and purple on the sides. A black mark 

 on the upper third of opercle which fades after death: and another under the branchiostegal 

 membrane. Ycntrals deep black with a white anterior border. First dorsal with some fine black 

 points : second dorsal stained dark at its upper margin, and with some fine dots along its inter- 

 spinous membrane, also on that of the caudal the ground colour of which is bright yellow, iris 

 silvery. 



Grows to twelve inches in length. 



Habitat — Seas of India, Malaysia, and China. 



CARANX ARMATUS. 



Sci^ena aemata. Forsk. p. 53. 



Tchawil parah, Russell, pi. 151 {young). 



Caranx citula, Guv. & Vol. ix. p. 126, pi. 250. 



Caranx aematus, Guv. & Vol. ix. p. 127; Cantor, Catal. p. 131 ; Gunther, Gatal. ii. 



p. 453. 

 Caranx ciliaris, Guv. & Vol. ix. p. 129 {young). 

 Olistus Malabaricus, Cuv. & Vol. ix. p. 137, pi. 251. 

 Ollstus RiiPFELLii, Guv. & Vol. ix. p. 1-44. 



B. vii. D. 7-8 | w .Vr. V. \. A. 2 | ^^ C. 19. L. 1. 20. 



Length of head T 3 T , of pectoral -f r , of base of first dorsal ^, of base of second dorsal 1, of base 

 of anal rather more than \ of total length. Height of head \, of body ^, of first dorsal ], of second 

 dorsal ^ T , of ventral f , of anal T 2 T of total length. 



Eyes — Diameter § of length of head, ^ diameter from end of snout, nearly 1 diameter apart. 



Body elliptical, the upper and lower profile equally curved, but the anterior extremity more 

 obtuse than the posterior. 



Mouth oblique, lower jaw the longest, the maxilla extending to beneath the anterior fourth 

 of the orbit. Preorbital wide, its upper portion having a festooned edge of ridges directed down- 

 wards. Lower margin of opercle rather concave. Preopercle nearly vertical posteriorly, its angle 

 rounded, and lower margin equal in length to about half its height. Nostrils approximating and 

 near to upper third of orbit. Longitudinal crest along upper surface of the head well developed, 

 as are also the lateral ridges. 



Teeth — Villiform in both jaws, vomer and palate. 



Fins — The pectoral arises below posterior extremity of opercle, and extends to opposite 

 seventh dorsal ray : the first dorsal commences slightly behind the origin of the pectoral, and 

 opposite the ventral : the second dorsal commences midway between the mouth and centre of base of 

 caudal : the anal begins opposite posterior extremity of the pectoral. First dorsal triangular, 

 spines moderately strong, the first very short, the second one quarter as long as the third, which 

 is the highest : a procumbent spine is very apparent anterior to the fin in the young specimens . 

 Second dorsal and anal highest anteriorly, in some specimens the rays are elongated and filiform, 

 as are also those of the ventral. Caudal rather deeply lobed. 



Scales — Small : none on the chest, but covering the body and cheeks. 



N 



