186 ACANTHOPTERTGII. 



placed enlarged ones. Fins — dorsal spines weak, nearly ti,N-ice as long as tte rays, and from If to 1/2 as high as the 

 body. Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout. Ventral reaches rather above half way to the anal. 

 Second anal spine very strong, nearly as long as the first ray and equal from 1/2 the length of the head to its 

 length behind the middle of the eyes : the extent of the base of the fin from 1/4 to l/.^i of that of the soft dorsal. 

 Caudal -wedge-shaped. Scales — cycloid on head and chest, ctenoid on the remainder of the body. Lateral-line — 

 becomes straight above the hind edge of the anal, its tubes arborescent posteriorly. Colours — grayish darkened 

 with green along the back, becoming white on the sides and abdomen, sometimes a small brown spot in^ front 

 of each dorsal ray. Outer edges of the fins in some specimens dark, except the ventral which is white. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, attaining at least 2 feet in length. The specimen 

 figured, from Bombay is 10 inches long. 



3. Scisena Vogleri, Plate XLV, fig. 1. 



Otolithus Vogleri. Bleeker, Sumatra, p. 253. 



ScicBna Vogleri, Oiinther, Catal. ii, p. 294. 



Pseudoscuena Vogleri, Bleeker, Memoir. Scien. 1874, p. 35. 



B. vii, D. 10 I ^]^, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 17, L. r. ||, L. tr. 6/14, Croc. pyl. 9. 



Length of head 3|, of caudal 6^, height of body 1/4 to 4^ in the total length. Eyes — diameter 4| to 4| in 

 the length of head, 1 to i|- diameters "from the end of snout, and also apart. Body rather compressed, the dorsal 

 profile more convex than the abdominal. Width of head equals If in its length, its height equals its 

 length excluding the snout. The snout does not overhang the upper jaw which is very slightly longer than the 

 lower, cleft of the mouth oblique, the maxilla reaching to below the middle of the orbit. Preopercle distinctly 

 but finely serrated : two opercular spines : the distance between the eye and the maxilla equals 1 diameter of 

 the orbit. Five large open pores under the symphysis of the lower jaw, also five orifices along the free edge of 

 the skin of the snout. The shoulder-scale "serrated. Teeth — villiform in both jaws, with an outer row of 

 large, curved, and rather distantly placed ones in the premaxiUaries : and an internal row of large conical and 

 rather widely separated ones in the lower jaw. Fins — dorsal spines of moderate strength, the second to the 

 fifth subequal in length, from 2 to 2^ in the height of the body, and 1/3 higher than the rays. Pectoral as long 

 as the head behind the first fourth of the eye. Ventral scarcely reaches half way to the anal. Second anal 

 spine weak, half the height of the first ray, and 4-1- in that of the body. Caudal wedge-shaped. Scales — cycloid 

 on the head, ctenoid over the chest and body : the base of the soft dorsal tin rather thickly scaled. Lateral- 

 line — becoming straight opposite the posterior portion of the anal fin, its tubes with one_ or two branches. 

 Colours — silvery, glossed with golden, first dorsal dotted with black, most distinctly so in its upper half : 

 superior edge of soft dorsal and last half of caudal gray : a small dark spot sometimes present in the axUla : 

 fins yellow. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. The largest specimen I have taken is 10^ inches in 

 length. 



4. Sciaena sina, Plate XLPV, fig. 2. 



Johnius sina, Cuv. and Val. v, p. 122 ; Blyth, J. A. S. of Beng. 1860, p. 141. 



Corvina sina, Belang. Voy. Ind. Orient. Zool. p. 359 ; Bleeker, Verb. Bat. Gen. xxvi, p. 82 ; Jerdon, M. 

 .J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 132. 



Scicena si/ia, Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 202 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 52. 



Booroo and Souwah or Soor, Sind. : Goal, Bel. 



B. vii, D. 10 I ^}^, P. 17, V. 1/5, A T-l-s, C 17, L. r. ||' L. tr. 8/14, Cffic. pyl. 9. 



Length of head 1/4 to 2/9, of caudal 1/5 to 2/11, height of body 2/7 to 1/4 of the total length._ Eijes— 

 diameter 1/4 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and 1^ apart. Height of head equals its length 

 excluding the snout, and its width If of its length. Snout rather inflated, scarcely overhanging the jaws : jaws 

 of nearly equal length anteriorly : cleft of mouth nearly horizontal, the maxilla reaching to below the last 

 third or'hind edge of the orbit. The distance from the eye to the upper jaw equals 1/2 to 3/4 of a diameter of the 

 orbit. Preopercle rounded, generally some distinct spinate teeth at its angle. Snout with three pores across its 

 base : the free edge of the skin with a large central opening, and another externally on either side, no large lateral 

 lobe : shoulder-flap serrated. Five open pores under the "symphysis of the mandible. Teeth — villiform, with an 

 outer curved row of rather distantly placed ones in the upjjer jaw, and an inner enlarged row in the mandible. 

 Fins — dorsal spues rather weak, third and fourth the longest and equal to 2^ in the height of the body. 

 Pectoral as long as the head without the snout. Ventral reaches nearly 1/2 way to the anal. Second anal 

 spine more than half the height of the first ray, and equal to 3j in that of the body : the base of the fin ec|ual 

 to 2/7 of that of the soft dorsal. Caudal wedge-shaped. Air-vessel — large anteriorly, bulging on either side 

 like a hammer, whilst from it descends an appendage on each side : posteriorly it ends in a sharp point. Scales — 

 ctenoid, except on the head where they are cycloid, a few exist on the bases of the soft dorsal and anal fins. 

 Lateral-line— becomes straight over tlie middle of the anal fin : each tube gives off a branch on either side. 

 Colours — silvery, tinged with browaiish along the back, and shot with gold on the abdomen : first dorsal blackish, 

 especially in its outer half, the other fins gray. 



This fish attains a very large size on the Western coast of India and Sind, even so far as Gwadur. They 

 are not much valued as food but their air-vessels are extensively collected for isinglass. In Bombay and Sind 



