﻿58 GANGETic PISHES. Order IV. 



with the first fin of the back containing nine prickles, of which 

 the second reaches to the end of the tail. 



This fish is pretty common in the estuaries of the Ganges, 

 and affords a rather light and well flavoured diet. It grows to 

 about a foot in length, and has a considerable affinity to the 

 Perca asper and Perca zingcl, (Bonnaterre, Tabl. Encycl. p. 126, 

 PI. CXXVI. fig. 206, 207 ;) but their backs are straight and 

 their bellies protuberant, just the reverse of the case in our 

 -Oangetic fish. This is of a greenish colour, with a gloss of 

 silver changing to purple. 



The back slopes from the first prickle towards each end. 



The head is long and half oval, being flat above, and the jaws 

 depressed. The lower part is diaphanous. The upper jaw, 

 which is the longest, in opening the mouth, is protruded. 

 The mouth is of moderate size and horizontal. The jaws have 

 scarcely any lips ; but the bones of the upper are pretty large, 

 and at their lower ends terminate as if cut straight across. In 

 both jaws is a single row of small conical teeth remote from each 

 other. The nostrils are near the eyes, each having two aper- 

 tures. The eyes are yellow, with circular pupils. The ment- 

 branes of the gill-covers are half exposed on the throat, each 

 containing five rays. 



The lateral line in its fore part is double; but the two 

 branches join towards the end of the tail. The scales are of a 

 moderate size, adhere firmly, and are edged with bristly inci- 

 sures. Near the commencement of the upper branch of the 

 lateral line is a space surrounded by a margin, which is indent- 

 ed'like a saw. The vent is before the middle. 



The first dorsal fin slopes backward, and its first prickle is 

 very short, but the second projects far beyond the membrane, 

 and reaches to the end of the tail. The second fin contains 

 twenty-eight rays, of which those in the middle are shorter 



