THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 250 



Eyes — Bather nearer the gill openings than the muzzle. Diameter I of length of head, 2 dia- 

 meters apart in front, but further behind. 



Nostrils broad and open, situated above, and slightly behind the anterior margin of the orbit. 



Fins — Dorsal arises at commencement of the last fourth of the body, and its posterior margin 

 is above the first ray of the anal. All tho fins are rounded. First three dorsal and two anal rays 

 are undivided. 



Spines — Short, some distance asunder, and commencing from the occiput, pass along the back 

 two-thirds of the distance towards the commencement of the dorsal fin : inferiorly the spines begin 

 from below the orbit, surround the lower and posterior margins of the pectoral fin, and are con- 

 tinued as far as the anus ; at first they are directed backwards, but from the posterior margin of 

 the pectoral they are turned downwards. 



Lateral line — Curves upwards from above the pectoral fin, and is continued to the centre of 

 the caudal. It is very indistinct. 



Colours — Back light green ; abdomen silvery white. Back and sides covered with emerald - 

 green spots, a bar of the same colour passes across the vertex from one eye to the other, and also 

 goes backwards in the mesial line towards a second irregular band of the same colour, which 

 passes across the back more posteriorly. Eye brown, with a golden rim surrounding the iris. 

 Caudal and anal tipped with black. Dorsal yellowish. Four black spots under the throat. 



Bare, grows to six inches in length. 



Habitat — Cochin on the Malabar Coast. 



Family BALISTISIDjE. 

 Genus ALUTARIUS, Cuvier. 



Body elongated, compressed, and covered with fine, closely set granules, scarcely visible to the naked 

 eye. Pelvis entirely hidden beneath the skin. Two dorsal fins, the anterior having its first spine elon- 

 gated, moderately stout, and capahle of being laid flat in a groove posterior to it. 



ALUTAEIUS LjEVIS. 



Balistes l^evis, Bloch, t. 414. 

 Alutaeius l^evis, Cantor, Catal. p. 355. 

 Mullah pueroah, Mai. 



B. vi. D. 2 | 46. P. 15. A. 49. C. 12. 



Length of head f , of pectoral T ' T , of caudal f , of base of first dorsal about fa, of base of 

 second dorsal \, of base of anal \ of total length. Height of head \, of body rather above \, of 

 first dorsal \, of second dorsal about ^ v , of anal about ^ of total length. 



Eyes — Oval, situated close to the profile, behind the posterior extremity of the opercles, and 

 under the first dorsal fin : horizontal diameter \, vertical diameter \ of length of head, 3^- dia- 

 meters from end of snout, nearly 1 diameter apart. 



Body elongated and compressed, terminating in a point at the snout, but broad at the base of 

 caudal fin. Profile rises to the first dorsal, from whence it sinks slightly to the caudal. 



