126 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV. 



base of the first spine are 2 thick sharp spines unconnected \vith mem- 

 brane, that situated anteriorly is about ^ an inch in length ; the second 

 is about 1 inch in length. The whole of the anterior dorsal folds down in 

 a well defined groove in the back. 



Posterior dorsal. — Commences immediately where the anterior dorsal 

 terminates. They can be regarded as 2 distinct fins. Situated anteriorly 

 is a single hard spine, followed by 14 soft rays in juxtaposition connected 

 by a thin membrane. 



Caudal. — Nearly square-cut, rayed and powerful. 



Anal. — Posterior portion rayed and soft. Anteriorly are three spines, 

 the first is a comparatively thin spine with an excessively sharp point. 

 The second is an extremely thick and stout spine of moderate sharpness. 

 The third is a sharp stoat spine about ^ an inch in length. 



Felvic. — Rayed and transparent, the anterior ray is continued for about 

 i an inch by a soft whitish filimentous piece of cuticle terminating in a 

 delicate point. Anteriorly is situated a hard spine. 



Pectoral. — Of moderate length, soft, rayed and transparent. 



Colour. — Head iridescent, general colouring being olive green. This 

 hue is carried along the back to the tail. The sides are silvery and irides- 

 cent, towards back olive green, gradually merging into light gold towards 

 belly which is white. The colour of the tail is most distinctive. From anal 

 fin to the commencement of caudal is bright gold which continues along 

 bottom edge of caudal and terminates in a patch of colour between gold 

 and orange f of an inch deep by about ^ an inch broad. The region of 

 about 5th and 6th rays both on the upper and lower lobes of the tail are 

 tinged pomegranate. The inside of the gill plates are remarkably coloured 

 bright gold. The skin on the neck bordering the gills is an olive green 

 turning into a bright gold where it merges into the mucous. 



Scales. — Transparent and of considerable size. The head is scaled as 

 far as the eyes. 



Lateral line. — Well-defined curving upwards from the gill-plates and 

 descending gradually towards the tad. 



Remarks. — The maximum growth attained by the Sungser is probably 

 about 6 lbs. 



There is yet another bottom-feeder which figures largely in the catches 

 of the villagers and he swims under the local name of 



Tkngun. 

 Familij undetermined. 



The following description was most carefully recorded from a specimen, 

 but all eftbrts on the part of the writer to settle the identity of this fish 

 have signally failed. 



This failure may be attributable to lack of accuracy in observing the 

 specific points but iu any event the notes as originally jotted down are 

 here reprodiiced. 



Body. — Extremely convex and deep. 



Hye. — Large. 



Teeth. — Absent on jaws ; hard crushing plates on upper and lower 

 surfaces of gnllot. 



Fins dvrsnl. — Soft and rayed, fm proper is long and curved backwards, 

 and continued to free portion of tail by a connected fringe. 



Caudal. — Deeply forked and long. 



Anil. — Situated immediately below dorsal; rays are not so long as those 

 in dorsal, and continued tailwards by a fringe similar to the dorsal 

 frinjje. 



