THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 173 



zontally to the centre of the caudal on to which fin it is continued. The depth between the lateral 

 line-just posterior to the end of its curve-and the anal fin, equals the distance from the anterior 

 extremity of the snout to the centre of the base of the pectoral. 



Colours— Left side reddish brown, with the base of each scale rather darker than its margin, 

 and numerous black spots irregularly scattered over the body. Opercles and anterior third of the 

 abdomen of a dull neutral tint ; fins finely dotted with brown. Iris silvery, brown along its upper 

 margin. Left side whitish or stained with light brown, bluish anteriorly. 



Grows to upwards of a foot in length. Not common. Is eaten by the Natives. 



Habitat-From the east coast of Africa through the Seas of India, Malaysia, and China to 

 Australia. 



Genus SYNAPTURA, Cantor. 

 Achiroides, Bleeker. 



iEsOPIA, EURYGLOSSA et EURYPLEURA, Kaup. 



Branchiostegaksix: pseudobranchia. Body compressed, flat, right side coloured. Eyes on right 

 side, the upper in advance of the lower. Cleft of mouth narrow, twisted round to the left side. .No 

 dilated nostril on left side. Teeth small only on the left side, none on vomer or palate. Vertical fins 

 confluent. Pectoral fin on both sides. Scales ctenoid, small. Lateral line straight. 



Synaptura foliacea. 



Solea foliacea, Richardson, Ich. China, p. 279. 

 Synaptura foliacea, Giinther, Catal. iv. p. 481. 

 Sappatee, Mai. 



B. vi. D. 62. P. 7. V. 6. A. 46. C. 15. L. 1. 75. 



Length of head \, of right pectoral &, of caudal f%, of base of dorsal f , of base of anal § of 

 total length. Height of head \, of body j, of dorsal &, of anal ft, of ventral & of total length. 



Eyes-Upper eye \ a diameter in advance of the lower: lower orbit just above the level of 

 the angle of the mouth, to which half of it is posterior. Diameter \ of length of head, If diameters 

 from end of snout, and nearly 1 diameter apart. 



Mouth cleft to beneath the posterior extremity of the superior orbit, it is narrow and twisted 

 round to the left side. Upper jaw the longest, overlapping the lower. Interorbital space concave. 

 From the anterior angle of the upper orbit is a raised ridge, which is continued two-thirds of the 

 distance to the end of the snout, terminating just above the upper lip. Snout sharp. The poste- 

 rior aperture of the nostrils a little in front of the lower orbit, the anterior a little before it and 

 tubular. Lower lip of right side fleshy. 



Teeth — Fine, and only apparent on the left side. 



Fms— Dorsal commences over the centre of the superior orbit, and terminates close to the 

 base of the caudal; the anal arises just behind the ventral, and is also continued to the base of the 

 caudal. Right pectoral short rounded, and equal to a third the length of the head ; left pectoral 

 rather shorter. Caudal wedge-shaped. Ventral short. 



Scales-Strongly ctenoid, extending over the body, head, dorsal, anal, and caudal fins : largest 

 in size along each side of the lateral line nearly as far as the head, but for the external fourth of the 

 body very much smaller. 



