oU PHYSOSTOMI. 



2. Hemirhamphus leucopterus. 



Cuvier and Valencionnes, xix, p. 48. 



D. 18 (IG), P. 11, V. 6, A. 15 (14), C. 14. 



Length of head 2|, of beak 4i, of caudal 9, height of body 12 in the total length. J?i/es— diameter 1-^ 

 in the postorbital length of the head, I5 diameters apart. Preorbital longer than high. Upper jaw slightly 

 wider at its base than it is long, keeled, not scaled : no barbels. Fins — anal commences under the third dorsal 

 ray. Ventral inserted in the commencement of the last third of the distance between the eye and base of the 

 caudal fin. Lower lobe of caudal the longer, the central rays twice as long as the eye. Scales — none on dorsal 

 or anal fins. Colours — a silvei-y lateral band : fins colourless : beak black. 



Dussumier's specimen from which the foregoing description of H. leucopterus is drawn up, is not in a good 

 state, some of the rays are broken and it is partly denuded of scales. It was said to be distinguished from 

 H. xanthiptenis by a much narrower head, a more slender and longer beak, and lower dorsal and anal fins. 



Habitat. — Bombay. 



3. Hemirhamphus Cantori, Plate CXIX, fig. 1. 



? Hemirhamphus Russelli, Cuv. and Val. xix, p. 52 (not Cantor, Giinthcr, or Bleeker). 



Hemirhamphus longirostris, Bleeker, Batavia (not C. and V.) 



Hemirhuvqihus Georgii, Bleeker, Snock, p. 19 ; Giinther, Catal. vi, p. 2G4; Kner. Novara Fische, p. 323, 

 (not Cuv. and Val.) 



Hemirhamphus Cantori, Bleeker, Nat. Tyds. Dierk. iii, p. 145, and Atl. Ich. vi, p. 53, Scombre. t. vi, f. 2 ; 

 Gunther, Catal. vi, p. 264. 



B. xiv, D. 15-16, P. 10-12, V. 6, A. 15, C. 16, L. r. 62. 



Length of head 2|, of beak 3f , of caudal 7, height of body 12 to 13 in the total length. Eyes — diameter 

 If in the postorbital length of the head and Ij apart. Body compressed. Upper jaw pointed, 1/3 longer than 

 wide and rather convex. Height of head equals its length behind the fi'ont 1/3 of the eye, and exceeds its 

 width : no barbels. Teeth — one or two rows of (comparatively large) tricuspid ones in both jaws. Fins — 

 dorsal fin commences anterior to the anal, its last rays when laid flat reach the base of the caudal. Pectoral 

 rather longer than the head behind the front edge of the eye. Ventral inserted in the commencement of the 

 last third of the distance between the front end or middle of the premaxillaries and the base of the caudal fin, 

 which latter is forked, its lower lobe the longer, the central caudal rays equal the postorbital length of the head. 

 Scales — none on dorsal fin but some on the anal: 6 rows between the lateral-line and base of dorsal tin. 

 Colours — greenish-blue superiorly, having a burnished silvery stripe along the sides, which posteriorly is broader 

 than a scale. 



This is perhaps H. Eusselli, C. V., which has D. 17, the beak flattened and nearly 1/4 of the total length. 

 Cantor's species has the btak 1/6 of the total length, and cannot be the same as C. V.'s fish. 



H. Georgii, Cantor, Catal. p. 248 ; Bleeker, Scomb. p. 45 ; Giinther, Catal. vi, p. 264, differs in the anal 

 fin being scaleless, but the specimens are young and in a bad state of preservation. 



Habitat. — Bombay, Malabar, Madras and seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and China. 



4. Hemirhamphus xanthopterus, Plate CXIX, fig. 2. 



Cuv. and Val. xix, p. 47 ; Day, Fishes of Malabar, p. 168. 

 B. xii, D. 14-15, P. 13, V. 6, A. 16-17, C. 15, L. r. 56-58. 



Length of head 3^ to 3J, of beak 7 to 7i, of caudal 75, height of body 12 in the total length. Eyes — 

 diameter 1^ in the postorbital length of the head, and 3/4 to 1 diameter apart. Preorbital rather longer than 

 high. Upper jaw rather longer th.an wide at its base. No barbels. TeetJi — many rows of minute 

 tricuspidate ones in both jaws. Fins — anal commences opposite the dorsal, the anterior portion of both rather 

 elevated. Pectoral reaches the middle of the eyes. Ventral inserted midway between the hind edge of the 

 eye and the base of the caudal. Lower caudal lobe the longer, its central rays as long as the postorbital portion 

 of the head. Scales — with some circular lines on each parallel with the outer margin, so that the edges appear 

 rather raised ; none on dorsal or anal fins, or a few very fine ones on their anterior portion : 7 rows between 

 lateral-line and base of dorsal fin. Colours — a brilliant latei'al band 2 '3 as wide as a scale in its widest part. 

 End of beak coi'al red. 



This fish is very similar to R. Gamaidi, but has a longer triangular upper jaw and more scales. 

 H. Beynaldi has its ventral in a different situation. H. unifasciatus has its dorsal and anal fins scaled. 



Habitat. — Malabar coast of India. 



5. Hemirhamphus unifasciatus. 



Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Acad. Sc. Inst. Bonon. v, 1842. p. 326. t. 25 ; Giinther, Catal. vi, p. 262 ; Bleeker, 

 Atl. Ich. vi, p. 59. 



Hemirhamphus Bichardi, Cuv. and Val. xix, p. 26. 



