THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 237 



the dorsal. Anal behind the dorsal, moderately elongated, or very long, extending to under or from even 

 anterior to the dorsal (Telard), the pectoral occasionally has its anterior ray elongated and filamentous 

 (Setipinna, Swainson). Caudal forked. Teeth on upper and lower mamillaries, a few on the anterior part 

 of the vomer, palatine and pterygoid bones narrow and bristling with minute teeth, or rough. Gill openings 

 very large. Scales moderate or small. Air vessel present. Pyloric appendages numerous. 



Engeaulis Beownii. 

 Atiieeina Beownii, Linn. Syst. 1397. 

 Nattoo, Bussell, pi. 187. 

 Engeaulis fasciata, Guv. & Val. xxi. p. 43. 

 Engeaulis Beownii, Guv. & Val. xxi. p. 41 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 303. 



B. xi. D. 14-16. P. 15-16. V. 7. A. 20-21. C. 19. L. 1. 35-38. L. tr. 7. 



Length of head nearly \, of pectoral \, of caudal -J-, of base of dorsal \, of base of anal ] of 

 total length. Height of head |, of body J, of dorsal £, of ventral -j^, of anal ^ of total length. 



Eyes — Upper margins near the superior profile, and with wide adipose lids. Diameter f of 

 length of head, § of a diameter from end of snout, nearly 1 diameter apart. 



Thickness of body equals two-thirds of its height : head compressed. The abdominal profile 

 is more rounded than trenchant, and the teething more like hairs than spines. 



Snout obtuse, overhanging the mouth which is deeply cleft. Posterior extremity of the 

 maxilla extends to a short distance before the root of the pectoral. Lower jaw the shortest and 

 compressed. 



Teeth — In fine rows on the maxilla, increasing in strength posteriorly : a fine band of inwardly 

 curved ones in the lower jaw, and also a few villiform ones on the vomer and palate. 



Fins — Dorsal commences rather nearer the base of the caudal than the anterior extremity of 

 the snout : ventral between it and the posterior extremity of the pectoral : and the anal under the 

 last fourth of the dorsal. Caudal deeply lobed. Dorsal triangular. 



Scales — Large and deciduous, their horizontal diameter half their vertical. An elongated 

 scale exists at the base of the pectoral fin. 



Lateral line — Straight on the anterior twelve scales, in the form of a central tube, beyond 

 which it becomes indistinct. 



Colours — Greenish silvery above, opercles shining silvery shot with gold. A large black spot 

 on the posterior half of the occiput. A broad silvery band passes from the centre of the posterior 

 margin of the opercle to the centre of the caudal. Abdomen light buff colour. Fins yellowish, 

 with minute black dots. Eyes sdvery, orbital margin dark. 



Grows to eight inches in length, and is much esteemed for eating. It is known as Whitebait 

 amongst Europeans, and is captured in Malabar in great numbers. In the Straits Cantor states 

 that large quantities of them are preserved for exportation to China and India, as well as for home 

 consumption, forming a delicious condiment known under the designation of " Red-fish." The 

 following is the mode of preparation: — " After the heads have been removed, the fishes, (those of 

 middling size are preferred), are cleansed, salted, (in the proportion of one to eight parts of fish) 

 and deposited in flat glazed earthen vessels. In the latter they are for three days submitted to 

 pressure, by means of stones placed on thin boards or dried plantain leaves. The fishes are next 

 freed from salt, and saturated with vinegar and cocoa-palm toddy, after which are added powdered 

 ginger and black pepper (the latter mostly entire), and some brandy and powdered ' Red rice. 5 



