618 PHYSOSTOra. 



Genus, 3 — Esocoitcs, Artedi. 



Cypsilurm, Swains. : Ealocijpselus, Weinland. : Parcxocatus, Bleeker. 



Bodtj moderately oUong. Gill-openings very u'ide. Jaws short : the premaxillaries and maxillaries separate. 

 Mandible m some species with a tubercular prolongation. Barbels present or absent. Teeth, when present, minute 

 and rudimentary. Pectorals elongated, used as an organ for fying : the dorsal fin may be much or only moderately 

 elevated : ventrals long, short, or of moderate length. Air-vessel large. Pyloric appendages absent. 



Genus Parexocretus, Bleeker, was instituted for the reception of those species (as E. mento, C.V.) which 

 have no barbels, but the lower jaw with a short tubercular prolongation as if an indication of an aborted 

 attempt at the elongation seen in Hemirhamphi. Teeth in both jaws, vomer, palatines, tongue and pterygoids. 



As many species of flying-fish are only known from young specimens, the size of the eye, and the length 

 of the fins as given in descriptions must be accepted with a reservation, in fact it is necessary that the length of 

 the specimen should be recorded. Barbels in some species may be an indication that the fish is immature, so 

 may likewise vertical bands* on the body. 



Geographical distribution. — Seas of temperate and tropical regions. 



SYNOPSIS OP SPECIES. 



1. Exocoetus mieroptems, D. 15-16, A. 14-15, L. 1. 50. A pair of barbels. Vertical fins low. Ventral 

 midway between bases of pectoral and caudal fins. IMalabar to the ]\Ialay Archipelago. 



2. E.vocwfus pceailopterus, D. 1-2-14, A. 9-10, L. 1. 54. Pectoral reaching base of caudal. Ventral long, it 

 arises between head and base of caudal. Pectoral with black blotches. Seas of India to the Malay Archi- 

 pelago. 



3. ExocKtus evolans, D. 12-14, A. 13-15, L. 1. 40-42. Pectoral reaches the base'of the caudal. Ventral 

 short, inserted nearer snout than base of the caudal. Tropical and intra-tropical seas. 



4. Exoco'tus fiircatus, D. 13, A. 9-10. A pair of barbels at symphysis. Ventral inserted nearer caudal 

 than front end of snout. Indian and Atlantic Oceans. 



6. Exoca'tus Bahiensis, D. 12-13, A. 9-10, L. 1. 50. Ventral inserted midway between snout and posterior 

 end of upper caudal lobe. Red Sea to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



6. Exocmtus mento, D. 10-11, A. 10-11, L. 1. 44. Lower jaw slightly produced at the symphysis. 

 Ventral inserted midway between the front edge of eye and base of caudal fin. East coast of Africa, seas of 

 India to the Malay Archipelago. 



1. Exocoetus micropterus. 



Cuv. and Val. xix, p. 12r, pi. 563 ; Bleeker, Amb. p. 63, and Atl. Ich. vi, p. 77 ; Giinther, Catal. vi, 

 V- 279. 



Cypsihiri micropteri, Bleeker, Exoccet. p. 128, and Atl. Ich. vi, Scomb. t. ui, f. 1. 



B. xiii, D. 15-16, P. 11-12, V. 6, A. 14-15, C. 15, L. 1. 50. 



Length of head 5 j, of caudal 5, height of body 7| in the total length. J57,ves— diameter 3t in the length 

 of the head^ nearly 1 diameter from the end of snout. A pair of short barbels under the symphysis of the lower 

 jaw, which is prominent. Fins — the dorsal commences a little anterior to the anal, and in the last fourth of the 

 "body, its rays are not prolonged, the highest scarcely exceeding l^- diameters of the orbit : upper edge of the 

 fin rather convex. Pectoral not reaching so far as to the ventral, the latter, which is inserted midway between 

 the base of the pectoral and caudal, not extending to the anal. Anal of the same shape as the dorsal. Lower 

 caudal lobe the longer. Colours — bluish above : silvery on the sides and beneath : fins dark. 



Habitat. — Malabar to the Malay Archipelago. 



2. Exocffitus poecilopterus, Plate CXX, fig. 4. 



Cuv. and Val. xix, p. 112, p. 501 ; Giinther, Catal. vi, p. 291 ; Bleeker, Atl. Ich. vi. p. 74, and Scomb. 



t. V, f. 5. 



Parravay-kolah, Tamil. 



D. 12-14, P. 14, V. 6, A. 9-10, C. 15, L. 1. 54. 



Length of head 5 to 5^, of caudal 4| to 5^, height of body 6| in the total length. &/es— diameter 2f to 

 3 in the length of head, \ a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. The greatest height of the head equals 

 its length excluding the snout, upper surface of the head roughened. Lower jaw the longer. Barbels — absent. 

 j';„,s_ dorsal commences .some way in front of the anal, the height of its anterior rays 1/10 of the total length, 

 the distance between the first dorsal ray and the base of caudal fin rather exceeds the length of the head, 30-32 

 scales between occiput and origin of the dorsal fin : ventral arises somewhat nearer the base of the caudal than 



* Vertical bands in UcmirhamijU, and many of the Scoinbresocidiz, &c., are u.sually a sign that the spieics is immature. 



