ICHTIirOLOGY. 223 



S. sinA5r\, Fiirsk. 



?fgri-rui. Aiakeiii. Xgfi-pa-lwe. Burma. (Thol-o-clali. An<lamans.) 



B. vi. ; D. 10-11 2TrSnr; P. 20; V. i; A. — 2-^-^- ; C. 19. 



General form as in S. domina, but the .second and third dor.sal spines subetjual. 

 Colour olive green above, ligliter below, with a brilliant purple relle.xion. A silvery- 

 longitudinal band. Dorsal and anal miuutely black-dotted. Grows to a foot, or 

 rarely {fide Lesclienault) to 3 feet. 



The Andamins and coast of Burma. 



This fish is called " jr/iifi»ij" at Madras, and is given to nursing mothers, being 

 regarded as more nourishing even than sharks' flesh. 



S. MACULATA, Quoy ct Gaim. 



B vi.; D. 11 TsrVn-; P- H; V. i; A. inrH- ; C. 18. 



Dorsal spines wealt, the tliird to the fifth subequal. Colour grey on the back, 

 white on the belly. Some blackish blotches and a silvery band on the side. U]ipcr 

 half of first dorsal black. Outer edge of soft dorsal and anal dark, and a grey band 

 superiorly along the soft dorsal. Grows to 9 inches or more. 



The Andamans. 



These fishes (Sillago, wliii-h have much the appearance of Scuoia) may bo 

 captured throughout the year, and are light and wholesome food. 



FiiiiiHi/ Pseudochromidse. 



PsEFDOCHEOMIS, Riippcll. 



Branchiostegals 6. Psendobranchia''. Lower jaw the longer. .Jaws with a 

 single row of lateral teeth. An outer enlarged row anteriorly in the premaxillaries, 

 and canine-like teeth in the mandible. Teeth on the vomer and palate. A single 

 dorsal. Air-vessel present. 



P. XANTHOcnra, Bleeker. 



B. vi.; D. A; P. 17; V. i; A. -h; C. 17. 



Dorsal spines short, the third longest. Caudal rounded. Colour dull olive. 

 Soft dorsal yellow-spotted above, brown-spotted below. Caudal terminally yellow, 

 and brown-spotted at its base. 



The Andamans. 



Famihj Batrachidse. 



Branchiostegals 6. Pseudobranchiie. Head large and muciferous system well 

 developed. Gills 3. Opercles armed. Teeth conical, moderate or small. Scales 

 when present small. Air-vessel present. 



Bateachus, Block. Schneider. 



Character of family. No canine-like teeth. Two dorsals. Air-vessel divided 

 into two lateral parts. 



B. Gangene, Ham. Buch. 



B. vi. ; D. 3:20-22; P. 21 ; V. i ; A. 16-18; C. 15. 



Snout broad, depressed, sun-ounded by tentacles, and there are others round the 

 eye, and finer ones on the head. The first dorsal triangular, the second spine longest. 

 Colour reddish brown, dark marked. Grows to a foot or more. 



Burma, in mud of estuaries. 



These fish are esteemed poisonous in Pinang, and are not even used, says 

 Cantor, in consetiuence, for manure ; but they are eaten by the poor in Bombay, 

 according to Day. In one fish of this family, T/ialassophri/ne reticulatus, from 

 Panama, Dr. Giinther discovered a poison organ structurally as perfect as in 

 serpents, each operculum terminating in a long perforated spine, tlie canal traversing 

 which communicated with a sac at its base full of a poisonous secretion ; a specialized 



