THE FISHES OE MALABAB. 157 



half the height of the second, the soft rays are prolonged. Caudal deeply lunated and the outer 

 rays much prolonged. 



Scales— Greatest diameter from above downwards ; some of them are continued over the soft 

 portions of the dorsal, anal, and tho commencement of the caudal fins. 



Lateral line— At first passes along the third scale, on which it is continued for about eighteen, 

 when it apparently ceases opposite the end of the dorsal fin, but is in reality continued on the 

 sixth row, in the form of round glandular cavities, in the centre of each scale. 



Colours— Of a deep purplish black: the margins of some of the scales having a whitish 

 shade. It is lightest on the abdomen. Pectoral fins not so deeply stained as the others. Eyes 

 dark hazel. 



Only three specimens were observed at Cochin, and they were all captured in one net. Grows 

 to about four inches in lenjrth. 



Habitat — Cochin on the Malabar Coast. 



Fam. LABRID^!, Cuvier. 

 Labroidei cycloidei, Mull. 



CyclolabeidtE, Owen. 



Sub-Fam. JULIDINA, Gunther. 

 Xiphochilus, Bleeker. 



Genus PLATYGLOSSUS, Klein, sp. 

 Halich.eres, sp. Riippell. 

 Julis, sp. Guv. & Vol. 



Platyglossus, halich^eres, macropharyngodon, Guntheria, et hemitantoga, Bleeker. 

 Ch^ero julis, Gill. 



Branchiostegals, five or six: pseudobranchia). Body oblong and compressed. Eyes lateral. Cleft 

 of mouth small. Only one inferior pharyngeal bone without median suture. Teeth conical on jaws with 

 a posterior canine. One dorsal fin, the spinous portion as well developed or more so than the soft : soft 

 anal similar to soft dorsal. Ventral thoracic with one spine and five rays. Scales cycloid and of moderate 

 size, none (or a very few) on the head. Lateral line continuous, forming a curve opposite end of dorsal 

 fin. Air bladder present. Pyloric appendages none. 



Platyglossus nigrescens. 

 Labrus nigrescens, Block Schn. p. 263. 

 Sahnee moia, Russell, pi. 120. 



Julis Dussumieri, Cuv. & Vol. xiii. p. 476, pi. 387 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 236. 

 Helich.eres nigrescens, Bleeker, Atlas Icthyologique des Indes Orientales 



Neerlandaises, i. p. 118, t. 37, f. 4. 

 Platyglossus Dussumieri, Gunther, Catal. iv. p. 143. 



KULLARAY MEEN, Mai. 



B. vi. D. T V P. 15. V. J. A. f %. C. 15. L. 1. 29. L. fcr. -ft. 



Length of head \, of pectoral \, of caudal T 2 T , of base of dorsal \, of base of anal \ of total 

 length. Height of head T 2 T , of body f, of hard dorsal j^, of soft dorsal 1, of ventral \, o\ 

 length. 



