266 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. • 



close to the profile. Opercle with a well marked horizontal ridge along its centre, having five 

 more rido-es proceeding below it to the posterior and inferior margins : rather a prominent but 

 irregular ridge above the opercle (smallest in the female) which ends opposite its posterior superior 

 angle in a wide smooth furrow directed upwards and slightly backwards. A lanceolate keeled 

 ridge, rounded anteriorly, and directed forward exists in the occipital region. 



F ms — The dorsal fin is placed upon nine rings the first of which is the anal ring. The 

 pectoral wide and short. The caudal lanceolate and equal in length to half that of the snout. 



Rino-s — Each very distinctly separated from the next, and ending in a moderately sharp spine 

 posteriorly, causing the surface to feel quite rough to the finger passed from behind forward. In 

 the female there are sometimes two spines to the end of each ring, and they are much sharper and 

 longer than in the male. 



Colours — A bright red line at the gills, and along the lateral line, otherwise of a light brown 

 with a dark line proceeding forward from the eye, and the snout barred with brown. Fins light 

 brown. 



Not rare in the river at Cochin. This specimen, a male, was nearly eight inches in length. 



I conclude this is the species referred to by Dr. Kaup, as having been published by Dr. 

 Bleeker as the Syngnathus cunculus, but as he gives no reference I have been unable to ascertain 

 the fact. 



Habitat — Seas and estuaries of Malabar and (?) Malaysia. 



* MlCROPHIS CUNCULUS. 



Syngnathus cunculus, Ham. Bitch, pp. 12, 362. 

 Microphis cunculus, Kaup, Catal. Brit. Mus. p. 64. 



D. about 50. P. 16. A. 2. C. 8-9. Body rings 17-18. Caudal rings 25-27. 



Length of head j S , of body f , of tail ^, of caudal fin T Vj of the total length. 



"A prominent line divides the silvery gill-cover into two similar parts. The lateral line 

 unites in an arch with the under border of the first caudal ring. Ten rings : three of them 

 belonging to the body sustain the dorsal fin, before which there are 14 rings, and up to the anal 

 ring there are 17." — Kaup. 



Colours — " Green above, and white beneath, with a gloss of silver on the sides. On the back 

 several dusky lines intersect each other and form a net-work. On each side is a longitudinal 

 stripe formed of numerous dots. The eyes are silvery." — Hamilton Buchanan. 



Habitat— Seas and estuaries of India. 



