240 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



Ventral very small and triangular, with an elongated scale at its base. Anal highest in front, its 

 three first rays undivided, the fourth the highest, from whence they decrease, forming a concave 

 edge in the anterior half of the upper margin, but the last half is parallel to the back, a scaly groove 

 is present along its base, and highest opposite about the eighth ray. Caudal deeply lobed. 



g ca le S _Vertical diameter the longest, very deciduous. Abdominal keel sharp, with about 

 twenty-seven spines along its extent : the largest being between the ventral and anal fins. 



Colours— Greenish on the back shot with purplish, which towards the abdomen becomes 

 silvery white. The centre of each scale is rather the darkest, forming longitudinal lines which are 

 most apparent in the upper half of the body. A series of wide, deep, black bands commence from 

 behind the upper half of the opercle, and proceed backwards, dividing and subdividing, and cover- 

 ing a space about as wide as the orbit : these bands under a magnifying glass are seen to consist 

 of raised, round, black spots. Upper surface of the head greenish. Posterior margin of the orbit, 

 and the upper portions of the opercle and preopercle greenish golden. Iris yellowish. Posterior 

 half of the dorsal and its anterior margin stained with black. Pectoral, ventral, and anal fins 

 yellowish. Caudal stained with black at its posterior third. In the young the fins are darker than 



in the adult. 



Grows to about nine inches in length. It is common in Malabar, and is even captured in the 

 estuaries. Eaten by the Natives, but is bony, and not esteemed by Europeans. 



Habitat — Seas of India. 



b. Superior pectoral ray elongated and filamentous. 

 * Engraulis taty. 

 Engraulis taty, Guv. & Vol. xxi. p. 60 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 306. 



B. xiii. D. r V P. 16. V. 7. A. 52-56. C. 19. 



Length of head ^, of base of anal f, of first pectoral ray %, of second pectoral ray f of the 

 total length. Height of head ^ of the total length. 



Eyes Horizontal diameter \ of the length of head; distance across the forehead \\ dia- 

 meters. 



Mouth cleft far beyond the eyes, muzzle pointed and projecting. 



T ee th — A few fine villiform ones on the vomer : numerous, and of the same description on 

 the palatine and pterygoid bones. 



fins — Dorsal commences rather nearer to the snout than it does to the root of the caudal : 

 the anal commences opposite the centre of the dorsal. The ventral midway between the base of 

 the pectoral and the fifth anal ray. Upper lobe of caudal truncated. 



Scales — Very deciduous and striated. Some exist on the base of anal and dorsal fins. 



Colours — Upper surface of head and back green, or greenish slate colour, sparingly dotted 

 with black : sides above the lateral line pale silvery green ; the abdomen, cheeks, and opercles 

 silvery ; dorsal, caudal, and anal yellow ; ventrals and pectorals transparent ; in some the posterior 

 margin of the caudal is blackish. Iris silvery, orbital half bluish black. — (Cantor.) 



Good eating either fresh or dried : grows to six inches in length. 



Habitat — Seas of India and Malaysia. 



