170 the fishes of malabar. 



* Hemiramphus Georgii. 

 Hemiramphus Georgii, Cuv. & Vol. xix. p. 37, pi. 555 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 248. 



B.xii. D. 15-17. P. 12. V. 6. A. 15. C. 15. 



Length of head from apex of intermaxillaries y T , beak to angle of the mouth yy to f in the total 

 length. Height of body equals half the length of the head. 



Eyes — Diameter \ of length of head, 1 diameter apart. 



The roof of the orbits being arched, occasions the middle of the orbit to appear excavated : 

 the depth at the occiput equals half the length of the head. 



Teeth— The band of villiforrn ones on the intermaxillaries is very narrow at the angle of the 

 mouth, but gradually widens towards its apex : the inner row are somewhat larger than the 

 others. A single row in the lower jaw of very minute teeth, behind which the anterior half of the 

 mouth is lined with a black crescent- shaped membrane. 



Fins — Pectorals five-eighths of the length of the head. Ventrals placed opposite the posterior 

 third of the distance between the occiput and the root of the caudal. Caudal moderately cleft ; 

 lower lobe slightly longer than the upper, and three-quarters as long as the head. 



Colours — Greenish grey above, minutely dotted with black, particularly on the intermaxillaries 

 and on the occiput. Back and sides pale greenish grey, the margins of the scales minutely dotted 

 with black : along each side a shining silvery band, divided in the middle by the lateral line, and 

 edged above by a deep blue line : abdomen faint silvery white : opercles shining silvery, with steel- 

 blue reflections : lower jaw greenish grey, with a black marginal membrane : dorsal and caudal 

 pale greenish grey, marginal half dotted with black : rest of the fin diaphanous. Iris silvery : 

 orbital margin bluish black. — (Cantor.) 



Grows to ten and a half inches in length. 



Habitat — Seas of Malabar and Malaysia. 



