202 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



the teeth of the genus Salarias, like the keys of a piano. Those of the jaws and some of the 

 palatals have a single barb at the posterior margin of the point : a few of the former are arrow- 

 shaped. In both jaws appear three series of somewhat distant teeth : the external consists of 

 excessively minute ones, the second of longer, and the internal series the longest of all. Those of 

 the lower jaw are longer than those of the upper, particularly three or four on each side of the 

 symphysis. The pharyngeal and palatals consist of two series. The fourth anterior tooth of each 

 palatal is very long. The tongue is very short, linear, and covered with fine teeth, like those of 

 the hyoid bone and the upper margin of the branchial arches." — (Cantor.) 



Fins — The first dorsal is situated midway between the snout and the root of the caudal : the 

 ventral opposite the dorsal, midway between the snout and the last ray of the anal : the first anal 

 ray midway between the last ray of the dorsal and the root of the caudal : the adipose dorsal 

 opposite the posterior third of the anal. The third dorsal ray is the longest, from it they gradually 

 decrease, the last being but slightly more than one-third the length of the longest. The point of 

 the ventral reaches to the middle of the anal, a thin elongated scale is situated at its base. 

 The third anal ray is the longest, and twice the length of the last. The adipose dorsal is rather 

 large. The caudal divided into three pointed lobes, of which the centre is rather the shortest. 

 The pectorals are falciform, and in the young reach to the last dorsal ray, but become shorter 

 with age. 



Scales — All are diaphanous, and can but with difficulty be distinguished in the fresh fish. 



Lateral line — Rather nearer to the back than to the abdomen : it is slightly keeled with about 

 forty-four rectangular membraneous pieces, covered with scales like the rest of the body. 



Colours — Head, back, and sides light grey, dust-coloured, or semi-transparent like gelatine, 

 with minute star-like, black or brownish dots : anterior part of the abdomen pale silvery : rest 

 whitish : cheeks and opercles pale silvery, dotted like the body : fins transparent, coloured like 

 the body, but more closely dotted, so as to appear pale blackish. Iris bluish silvery, minutely 

 dotted with black. — (Cantor.) 



This fish, which is so exceedingly numerous in North Malabar and Bombay, rarely, if ever, 

 extends its range so far South as Cochin. It is rich, but highly esteemed as a delicacy imme- 

 diately after it is taken. Salted and dried it is exported in large quantities from Bombay under 

 the denomination of Bummalohs or Bombay ducks. It grows to eleven inches in length. 



Habitat — Seas and estuaries of India, Burmah, Malaysia, and China. 



Sub-Order.— C Y P R I N I D M. 

 Fam. COBITIOIDES, Bleeker. 

 Genus NEMACHEILUS, v. Hasselt. 

 Acoura et acourus, Sums. 



Branchiostegals, three. Body elongated, anteriorly cylindrical, back low, without any adipose keel. 

 Eyes with free lids. Lower jaw ending in a sharp point, but not tuberculated. No free suborbital spine. 

 Cirri six or eight, four on snout, and from two to four on maxilla?. Anterior nostril tubular. Dorsal fins 

 consisting of few rays, and entirely or mostly situated in the anterior half of the body and opposite the 

 ventral. No scales on head. An ah bladder, entirely enclosed in a cavity formed by the vertebral 

 column. 



