238 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



After having been kept for three days a little more vinegar is added before placing the fishes in 

 well closed jars or bottles. They should be kept four or five months before being used." — Cantor, 

 p. 305. " Red rice is a variety of Oryza sativa called glutinosa steeped in an infusion of cochineal." 

 Habitat — Seas of India, Malaysia, China, Australia, New Zealand, and the Mauritius. Also 

 through the North and South Atlantic oceans. 



2. Maxilla greatly elongated. 



Engraulis auratus, PI. xix. f. 2. 

 Engraulis auratus, Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 18G5, p. 312. 



B. x. D. T V P. 12. V. 7. A. 34. C. 19. L. 1. 40. L. tr. 9. 



Length of head nearly }, of pectoral \, of base of dorsal \, of base of anal \, of caudal \ of 

 the total length. Height of head \, of body \, of dorsal \, of anal ^ of the total length. 



Eyes — Oval, with their anterior and posterior thirds covered by adipose lids : diameter \ of 

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



Profile scarcely ascends from the snout to the dorsal fin, or descends much from thence to the 

 caudal, the abdominal surface is very much more convex. Sides compressed. 



Snout short ; gape of mouth extending to below the posterior margin of the orbit. Maxilla 

 greatly elongated, reaching to opposite the last fourth of the pectoral, and equal to nearly a third 

 of the total length of the fish. A raised crest extends from the snout along the whole central line 

 of the head. Opercle narrow and octagonal, posterior margin having its central three-fifths 

 straight, directed a little obbquely backwards, and forming an obtuse angle at its upper and lower 

 fifths ; superior and inferior margins straight but very short. Preopercle with its posterior margin 

 nearly vertical. Branchiostegous opening very wide, extending nearly to the lower margin of the 

 symphysis. 



Teeth — A series of fine villiform teeth in the lower jaw, also along the whole extent of the 

 elongated maxilla : only a few in the external half of each intermaxillary, and a few also on the 

 vomer. A long double line of fine teeth on the palatine bones, with a large oval toothed space on 

 the pterygoids. 



Fins — Dorsal commences midway between the snout and the base of the caudal fin ; anal 

 midway between the anterior surface of the chest and the commencement of caudal : pectoral 

 arises below the posterior margin of the opercle, and reaches to the ventral. Dorsal triangular, 

 with a small spine a short distance before its first ray. Pectoral falciform. Anal with the anterior 

 portion the highest. Caudal lobed, lobes of equal length. 



Scales — About thirteen sharp compressed scales along abdominal margin of the body anterior 

 to the commencement of the ventral fins, and seven between their termination and the origin of 

 the anal. 



Colours — The upper surface of the body of a brilliant coppery tinge, closely dotted with black, 

 but becoming of a pure white on the sides. A large black spot on the shoulder. Dorsal with 

 minute black dots, more especially at its upper margin, otherwise it is colourless, as are also the 

 pectoral, anal, and ventral fins. Caudal fight straw-coloured, with a darkish tip. Eyes tinged 

 with brown superiorly, and yellow inferiorly. 



Common during the S.W. monsoon, and considered good eating. 



Habitat — Cochin on the Malabar Coast. 



