FAMILY, XXXIII— ATHERINID^. 345 



2. Atherina Torskalii, Plate LXXI, fig. 4. 



Atherina Forskalii, Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 132, t. 33, f. 1 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 103 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and 

 Sc. 1851, p. 140; Giiuther, Catal. iii, p. 397 ; Day, Fish. Mai. p. 135. 

 Ko-re-dah, Andam. 



B. vi, D. 5-6 I ^Jrs, P. 17, V. 1/5, A. tt-tt. C 15, L. 1. 40, L. tr. 6-7. 



Length of head 4^, of pectoral 8, of caudal 4 to 6, height of body 6 to 6 j in the total length. Eyes — 

 diameter 2/5 of length of head, 1/3 of a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. Height of head equals its 

 length excluding the snout, whilst its width is slightly less. Abdominal profile more convex than that of the 

 back. Cleft of mouth oblique, the maxilla reaches to below the first third of the eye : jaws of about equal 

 length anteriorly, or the lower slightly the longer. Two or three large pores open along the upper margin of 

 the opercle. Teeth — distinct in jaws and on vomer and palatines. Fins — the first dorsal commences rather 

 nearer the base of the anal than that of the ventral, the posterior end of the opercle is midway between the end 

 of the snout and the base of the first dorsal fin. Pectoral inserted above the centre of the depth of the body : 

 caudal rather deeply lobed. Scales — with smooth edges. Colours — silvery, with the upper surface of the head 

 and back of a pale sea-green, with numerous fine black points : the silvery lateral band includes the whole 

 of the third and the upper half of the fourth row of scales : cheeks and opercles silvery : muzzle and lips 

 blackish : edges of dorsal, pectoral, and caudal with fine black spots. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. It only reaches to a 

 few inches in length, and is most commonly captured on the shores of India during the cold season. It is one 

 of several genera, some species of which are indiscriminately termed "whitebait" by Europeans, and are 

 dressed for the breakfast table. 



Jerdon observes " Mottechi, Tam. sometimes Motti kola Tcende." 



3. Atherina duodecimalis. 



Cuv. and Val. x, p. 458 ; Bleeker, Riouw. p. 485 ; Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 400. 



B. vi, D. 5 I 1 P. 15, V. 1/5, A. J-, C. 17, L. 1. 35. 



Length of head 4 to 4f, of pectoral Sj, of caudal 5i, height of body 5;- in the total length. Eijes — • 

 diameter 1/2 length of head, l/2 diameter from end of snout, and 3/4 apart. Teeth — distinct. MasUla extends 

 to below the middle of the orbit. Fins — first dorsal commences midway between the base of the ventral 

 and anal. Anal arises anteiior to the base of second dorsal : caudal forked : lower lobe the longer. Scales — 

 cycloid. Colours — silvery, with a silver band along the third row of the scales, and a green band above 

 it : no black dots on body : dorsal and caudal fins grayish. 



Habitat. — Ceylon and Malay Archipelago, to at least 3|- inches in length. 



B. No j^alatine teeth. 



4. Atherina melanostigma. 

 B. vi, D. 5 1 Jj, P. 15, V. 1/5, A. ^\, C. 17, L. L 37, L. tr. 7. 



Length of head 4j, of caudal 6i, height of body 5|- in the total length. Eijes — diameter 2/5 of length of 

 head, 1/2 a diameter from end of snout, and 1 diameter apart. The height of the head equals its 

 length excluding the snout, its width is slightly less. Cleft of mouth very oblique, the maxilla reaches to below 

 the front edge of the eye : the lower jaw is rather broad anteriorly and a little shorter than the upper. 

 Teeth — in jaws minute, none on the vomer or palate. jPmis— dorsal spines feeble, the fin commences midway 

 between the bases of the ventral and anal, the hind edge of the opercle is half-way between the snout and 

 the base of the dorsal fin. Scales — edges a little rough, 16 rows anterior to the base of dorsal fin. 

 Colours — a well-marked silvery band is confined to the third row of scales : there are many fine black dots along 

 the back, especially on the edges of the scales, and a few in the lower half of the body. Base of pectoral 

 densely dotted with black. A dark spot on the upper edge of the eye, another at the upper edge of the base 

 of the caudal fin, which is also dark edged posteriorly. A dark line along the scales at the base of the 

 anal fin. 



Habitat. — Madras, to 3 inches in length. 



2 T 



