160 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



total length. Height of head \, of body \, of hard dorsal \, of soft dorsal ^j, of base of caudal \, 

 of ventral J, of anal \ of total length. 



Byes — In upper part of the head, and close to the profile. Horizontal diameter § , vertical 

 diameter \ of length of head, f of a horizontal diameter from end of snout, and the same distance 

 apart. 



Body compressed, and of a long ovoid shape, broadest in front : the rise from the snout to the 

 first dorsal is abrupt. There is a slight elevation on the snout, another just in front of the orbits, 

 and a depression over the centre of the orbits. From the mouth to the ventrals, the profile is 

 nearly straight. 



Mouth comparatively smaE, compressed, and wide. Maxilla extends to beneath the anterior 

 third of the orbit, and is overlapped by the anterior portion of the preorbital. Upper jaw pro- 

 trusible. Preorbital nearly triangular. Preopercle finely serrated, with the vertical limb rather 

 obhque, and the angle produced and rounded; the horizontal limb half the height of the vertical 

 one. Opercles narrow, three times higher than wide. Nostrils over the anterior third of the 

 orbits, approximating behind, the largest with a bony ridge over it, and an oval depression pos- 

 teriorly. 



Fins — Pectoral and dorsal arise on a line, ventral slightly behind ; anal opposite the fifth 

 dorsal ray. Dorsal highest in front, the second spine the longest, from whence they gradually 

 decrease to the last : the membrane rather deeply notched. Pectoral long, pointed, and extending 

 nearly to the end of the anal fin. Ventral spine moderately strong. The second spine of the anal 

 much the strongest, and of the same length as the third. Caudal deeply lobed. Dorsal and 

 anal with a scaly sheath along each of their bases. 



Scales — Rather deciduous. 



Lateral line — Follows the curve of the back in its upper third. 



Colours — Greyish silvery above, with a purplish reflection, and fading to silvery on the abdo- 

 men. A row of dark spots extends along the base of the dorsal fin. Iris yellowish, with some 

 minute black points. The young have indistinct cross bands. 



Grows to eight inches in length, and is eaten by the Natives. 



Habitat — Seas of India and China. 



* Gerees limbatus. 



Gerres limbatus, Guv. & Veil, vi. p. 476 ; Gunther, Catal. iv. p. 259. 

 Catoch^num limbatum, Cantor, Catal. p. 55. 



B. vi. D. T 9 o- P. 15. V. l. A. T _V C. 17. L. 1. 37. L. tr. f . 



Height of body t 3 q of total length. 



Eyes— Diameter f of length of head, rather more than 1 diameter from end of snout, 

 1 diameter apart. 



Mouth very protractile. The preorbital and preopercle entire, but in the young the lower 

 margin of the latter is toothed. The groove for the processes of the intermaxillaries is devoid of 

 scales, and extends rather beyond the anterior margin of the orbit. 



Teeth — Velvety in the jaws. 



Fins — The second spine of the dorsal is much longer than the third, in the adult being above 

 half the height of the body in length : but in the young the two spines are of equal length : the 

 scaly sheath to the fin is moderately developed. The second anal spine is stronger and a little 

 longer than the third, being more than half the length of the second dorsal spine. 



