THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 1^3 



Body oval and strongly compressed. Mouth situated in the lower third of the body. Profile 

 rises abruptly to the dorsal, and is slightly concave between the snout and the upper margin of 

 the orbit. Lower profile not quite so convex as the upper. 



Lower jaw rather the longest. Maxilla extends two-thirds of the distance to the orbit, 

 Preopercle oblique and entire. Opercle entire. Shoulder bones entire. 



Teeth — As in the Etroplus Suratensis, but rather more pointed. 



Pins—Pectoral arises close behind the opercle, and the commencement of the dorsal is 

 slightly in advance of it. The finless space on the tail is short. Dorsal spines strong and occupy- 

 ing eleven fourteenths of the entire fin : interspinous membrane deeply notched and longer than 

 the spines : the fourth ray the most produced, extending to the posterior third of the caudal. 

 Anal spines strong, and occupying seven tenths of the entire base of fin ; the rays are the same 

 as in the dorsal. Both dorsal and anal spines can be laid flat in a groove. Ventral spine mode- 

 rately strong, slightly exceeding the longest dorsal spine in length. Pectoral rather pointed. 

 Caudal lunated and emarginate. 



Scales — Ctenoid, and in other respects the same as in the E. Suratensis. 



Colours— Yellowish with a greenish back, and about seventeen horizontal lines of deep golden 

 spots along the dorsal fin, the back, and the abdomen, occasionally a few also exist on the anal. 

 Between the dorsal spines and rays there are more spots, some being brown and others yellow. 

 Along the lateral line are three black finger marks, the central one being the largest. Ventral 

 and anal fins stained with a deep black. In specimens taken from January to May there is 

 occasionally a reddish tinge at the extremity of the caudal fin, and a leaden or violet hue over the 

 body, and the number of the golden spots is apparently less. 



Having captured about fifty specimens on July 15, 1863, in the fort ditch at Cochin, for the 

 purpose of minutely examining their coloration, I found that no two could be said to be identical. 

 The seventeen lines of golden spots were more or less apparent in all ; in some the three blotches 

 on the side were black, in others of a light emerald green, whilst all intermediate shades were 

 perceptible : some were glossed over with purple, which tint was absent in others. 



Common in every paddy field, tank, or piece of fresh water, and even occasionally found in 

 the backwater within the influence of the tides. Eaten by the Natives ; but as it rarely, if ever, 

 exceeds three inches in length, it is not employed as food by Europeans. 

 Habitat — Fresh waters of India and Ceylon. 



SUB-ORDER.-MALAOOPTEBYGIIPHARYNGOGNATHI. 



Fam. SCOMBERESOCID.E, Mull. 



Genus BELONE, Owner. 



Branchiostegals, from about ten to fifteen. Body subcylindrical and elongated. The jaws extended 

 into a long beak, the upper portion principally formed of the intermaxillaries, and its base by the maxilla. 

 Under the symphysis of the lower jaw is a soft fleshy appendage. Eyes lateral. A single dorsal situated 

 in the posterior portion of the body, opposite an anal of the same description. Ventral six-rayed, anterior 



y 2 



