CARANX FALCATUS. 93 



ITiere are two dorsal fins ; the anterior is placed in a groove, and has seven 

 spines ; it is preceded by a short, recumbent spine, slightly elevated and directed 

 forwards. The posterior dorsal has one spinous and twenty-eight soft rays ; it 

 is long and low, its three or four anterior rays excepted, and these are but moder- 

 ately elevated ; the rays are all protected by a sheath of scales, which is thin at 

 their roots, and ascends one fourth of their length, but without any adhesion. The 

 pectoral is falciform in shape, and very long, as it extends to the anterior third 

 of the soft dorsal fin ; it has sixteen rays. The ventral is small, and very short, 

 though it extends beyond the vent, and has five rays. The anal is shaped like 

 the soft dorsal, and has one spinous and twenty-five soft rays, protected in like 

 manner at their roots ; it is preceded by two short spines placed in a groove. 

 The caudal is very long and widely forked, the upper branch being more than 

 one third longer than the lower ; it has nineteen rays. 



The lateral line is at first almost semicircular; but at the origin of the soft 

 dorsal it descends to the median plane, and is then straight ; it is covered with 

 about fifty plates, which begin with the soft dorsal, and increase in size to the 

 thirty-fifth, whence they decrease rapidly. The scales are minute ; those of the 

 lateral line are elongated quadrilateral, with one angle prolonged and rounded ; its 

 duct is large, begins far forward, and bifurcates near the posterior border. 



Colour. The superior part of the head, and the body above the lateral line, 

 are palest brown, with a slight bluish tint ; the lower jaw, opercle, and sides are 

 yellow ; the belly is silvery, with a slight golden tint ; the anterior dorsal is 

 transparent; the posterior is transparent, but with a yellomsh tint; the caudal 

 is yellow. 



Dimensions. The head is one sixth of the entire length of the animal ; the 

 greatest elevation without the fins is equal to one head and seven eighths ; total 

 length, nine inches. 



Habits ? 



