128 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



Mouth anteriorly compressed, gape small, situated a short distance below the level of the 

 orbit. Lips fleshy. Cleft of mouth extending half way to below the anterior margin of the orbit. 

 Preopercle narrow, the posterior margin oblique, and nearly three times as long as the inferior 

 which is horizontal, its angle rounded. Opercle ending in an obtuse point. Orifices of nostrils 

 large, circular, and approximating, situated in a furrow at the anterior superior margin of the orbit, 

 and having a rather strong overhanging ridge, with a slighter one below. 



Teeth — In a single compressed series in each jaw. 



Fins — Pectoral situated rather behind the origins of the dorsal and ventral, which 

 are on a line. Anal commences opposite the end of the ventral. A short portion of the tail 

 finless. First dorsal spines strong, and the membrane deeply emarginate : second spine the 

 longest, being three times higher than the first (it is serrated in front in its middle third) ; from 

 thence the spines decrease in thickness and length to the last : the rays are articulated, not 

 branched. Caudal rather emarginate. Pectoral pointed. Anal, second spine the longest and 

 strongest, it is rather rugose anteriorly ; the third spine is nearly as long, but much more slender. 

 The margin of the fin is parallel to the abdominal profile. 



Body and head with a rugose cuticle, forming distinct horizontal lines, which on the body 

 under a magnifying glass are seen covered with triangular points, projecting backwards. 



Lateral line — In upper fifth of the body, forming a curve parallel to that of the back ; opposite 

 the dorsal fin it passes straight to the centre of the caudal, in this horizontal portion there is a 

 sharp lancet-shaped spine directed forwards and receivable into a sheath on the lateral line. 



Colours — Uniform, ventral fin stained blackish. A silvery band along the opercles, and part 

 of the abdomen. 



Pare in Malabar, where it grows to about four inches in length : but Sir Emerson Tennent, in 

 his drawings of the " Fishes of Ceylon," has one of this species of at least twelve inches in length. 



Habitat — Seas of India, and China. 



Fam. NANDIDjE, Gunther. 

 Pseudochromides, pt. MjENOIdei, pt. Midler & Troschel. 



Genus NANDUS, Ouv. and Vol. 

 Bedula, Gray. 



Branchiostegals, six : pseudobranchife present or absent. Body oblong, compressed. Opercle with 

 two spines : preopercle more or less serrated : preorbital entire. The infraorbital bones do not articulate 

 with the preopercle. Eyes lateral. Mouth very or moderately protractile. One dorsal the spinous 

 portion being slightly more developed than the soft. Anal with three spines. Teeth villif'orm in the jaws 

 on the vomer, and palatine bones, tubercular on the pterygoid and base of the tongue. Scales ctenoid and 

 of moderate size. Lateral line interrupted. Air bladder large, simple. Pyloric appendages none. 



Nandus MARMORATUS. 



Corns nandus, Earn. Buck. pp. 96, 370, pi. 30, f. 32. 



Nandus marmoratus, Guv.& Val. viii. p. 482, pi. 207; Cantor, Catal. p. 17; Jerdon, 

 Madras Journal, 1848, p. 141; Gunther, Catal. iii. p. 367. 



