THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 123 



continue the same. Soft dorsal rather longer than the unbranched portion: pectoral rounded. 

 Ventral pointed, with two elongated rays, the outer one being a third shorter than the inner one, 

 the most elongated one roaches to the anterior extremity of the pectoral fin. Anal parallel to 

 the back. Caudal square. 



Body naked, covered with mucous secretions. 



Lateral line — Straight, and in upper third of the body. 



Colours — Of a light brownish tint, with twelve vertical markings along the base of the dorsal 

 fin, passing downwards towards the abdomen in the form of light cloudy bands, which disappear 

 below the lateral lino : on these bands, where they meet the lateral line, there is generally a 

 spot, and an intermediate one between that and the upper one. The head of a light yellowish 

 brown colour, with a dark streak passing down the snout, and another from the side of the eye 

 forwards, whilst other well-defined bands radiate about the throat, and the base of the pectoral fin. 

 A beautiful fine line of a lustrous metallic green passes directly downwards behind the eye. Fins 

 colourless, excepting the first thirteen rays of the dorsal, which are tipped with bright yellow. 



Grows to about three inches in length, and is found in Malabar during the monsoon. 



Habitat— Eed Sea, Seas of India, Malaysia, the Philippine Islands, and through the Indian 

 Archipelago to Polynesia. 



Fam. TEUTHIDID^]. Gunther. 



Teuthyes, pt., Cuvier. 



Genus TEUTHIS, Linn. 



Siganus, Forskal. 

 Centrogaster, Houttuyn. 

 Amphacanthus, Bl. Schn. 



Branchiostegals, five : pseudobranchise. Body oblong and compressed. Eyes lateral. Mouth slightly 

 cleft and little protractile. One dorsal, with a horizontal spine in front of it, and the spinous portion 

 more developed than the soft. Ventral fins with three soft rays in each, and an external and internal spine. 

 Teeth small, trenchant, and in a single row on the jaws, none on the vomer or palatine bones. Scales 

 very small. Lateral line continuous. Air bladder large, forked both anteriorly and posteriorly. Pyloric 

 appendages few. 



Teuthis VERMICULATA. 



Amphacanthus vermiculatus, Cuv. & Vol. x. p. 126. 

 Teuthis vermiculatus, Gunther, Catal. iii. p. 317. 

 Kuterah, Mai. 



B.v. D.Jfo-. P. 16. V. f. A.s_V C. 17. 



Length of head \, of pectoral \, of caudal \, of base of dorsal f, of base of anal § of total 

 length. Height of head \, of body \, of hard dorsal \, of soft dorsal \, of ventral J, of anal spines 

 \, of anal rays i of total length. 



