212 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE AND PRODUCTIONS. 



■who officiate in the teniph' of Sih are called Tiipasi in the vnlj^ar dialect, and Titpnuivi 

 in Sangscritta. that is to say. penitents. Thoy ought not to shave, on wliicli account 

 a lish culled 2Liii(joe fish by the English in Calcutta, which has long fibres proceeding 

 from near its head, is called by the same name.'' So ' tapsi'' is a vulgar corruption of 

 ' TiijiasirL' 



P. TETRADACTyLrs, Shaw. 



Nga-ta-yaw. (To bro-dah. Andamans.) 



B. viL; D. 8 tf^ttt; p. 17 + iv. ; V. V; A. -jVnV; C. 17. 



The four free pectoral rays roach nearly to the vent. Colour silvery green, 

 becoming yellowish-white on the sides and lielly. Dorsal and caudal greyish, 

 minutely black-dotted. Ventral and anal pale orange in their outer halves. Pectoral 

 filaments 'white. A dark mark on the operole. Grows to over 6 feet and over 

 300 lbs., and is excellent eating. 



Coasts of India and Burma, ascending rivers freely. 



B. Air-vessel 2i>'<'se?if. 



P. INDICTJS, Shaw. 

 P. sele, Ham. Buch. 



Lukwah, Arakan. Ka-koo-yan, Burma. (Kwai-yeng, Tavoy.) 



B. vii. ; D. 8 rirhn; P- 15 + v. ; V. J-; A. rr-fV; C. 17. 



Five free pectoral rays, the longest reaching nearly to the anal. Caudal deeply 

 lineated with usually filamentous ends. Colour, back purplish-black, belly silvery- 

 white dashed with gold. Dorsals and anal stained with black. Grows to 4 feet, 

 but is rarely seen over 20 lbs. A large fish yields two ounces of rough isinglass. 

 Air-vessel oval and thick, occupying the whole length of the belly, and posteriorly 

 prolonged among the caudal muscles. 



Coasts and embouchures of large rivers of India and Burma. 



P. PLEBEitj;, Gmel. 



B. vii.; D. 8 A; P. 17 + v. ; V. i; A. V,^ I C. 17. 



Five free pectoral rays, the longest reaches just beyond the ventral. Colour 

 golden, greyish along the back. Dark lines along each row of scales. Anal greyish. 

 Ventral white internally, externally grey. Fins grey-edged. Air-vessel narrow, 

 elongate, and simple. 



Coasts of India and Burma. 



It is important to observe that the only species of Pohjtirmvs which yield 

 isinglass (air-vessels) are those possessed of 5 free pectoral rays or filaments. 



FmniJij Sciaenidae. 



Branchiostogals 7. Muciferous system on tlie head well developed. Teeth in 

 villiform bands, but neither cutting nor molar-like teeth. Two dorsal fins, the 

 second the most developed. 



SciiENA, Cuvier. 



Teeth villiform, with an outer enlarged i-ow in the preraaxillaries, and sometimes 

 an inner enlarged row in the mandible. No distinct canines. Anterior tlorsal with 

 9 or 10 spines, posterior witli 23 to 32 rays. 



A. An enlarged inner row of teeth in the mandihle. 

 S. MILES, Lacep. 

 Corvina soldado. 

 Ka-loung-boung. 



B. vii. ; D. 9-10 .rrhru ; P. 17 ; V. 1 ; A. ? ; C. 17. 

 Five pores on the inferior surface of the mandible. Snout not overhanging. 



