222 



Fifth Group. APOGONINA. 



4-2. AMBASSIS*. 



Clianda, sp., Jiiic/i. Ham. Fish, of Ganges, p. 103. 

 Amba.ssis, {Commers.) Cui: Sr Val. ii. p. 175. 



Bogoda (and Ambassis), Bleeh. JValez. Icldh. Faun. Benq. en Hindost. 

 p. 89. 



Six branchiostegals. Teeth ^-illiform, without conspicuously larger 

 canines ; teeth on the palatine bones. Two dorsals, the first ■\vith 

 seven, the anal fin with three spines ; a recumbent spine in front of 

 the dorsal, pointmg forwards. Operculum without a prominent 

 spine ; the lower limb of the prajoperculum with a double denticulated 

 edgef. Scales large, deciduous. 



Small fishes, living in the fresh and brackish waters and in the 

 seas of the Indian Region ; North Australia ; Dalmatia. 



A. Species with the anal fin of nioderafe length (9-11 rays). 



1 . Ambassis robnstus. 

 D. 7 1 ^. A. ^. L. hit. 46. L. transv. J—. 



\ 10 9 10-1/ 



The height of the body is rather more than twice in the total 

 length (without caudal fin) ; the second spine of the anterior dorsal 

 almost four times in the same length ; the third spine of the anal fin 

 smaller and shorter than the second. Lateral Une with a rather 

 strongly ciu-ved arch beneath the foiu-th spine of the dorsal fin. Colo- 

 ration (in spirits) uniform. 



Borneo. 



o. Adult. 



Prof. Peters, of Berlin, has kindly informed me that a specimen of 

 this species, which is apparently undeseribcd, exists in the Berlin 

 Museum. It was sent by Prof. Schlegel, who gave to it the name of 

 A. robustus, and marked it as coming from Borneo. In the Berlin 

 specimen the second anal spine is as long as tlie head, and onc-thii'd 

 of the total lengtli, whilst it is shorter in that in the British Museum 

 Collection. 



* 1. Chanda lata, Buck. Ham. p. 114. pi. 21. f. 39; Chv. ij- Val. ii. p. 184; 

 Blcek. Vcrh. Bat. Gen. xxv. tab. 1. f. 1. — Ganges. 



2. Chanda bacidis, Bueh. Ham. p. 112; Cuv. <Sj- Val. ii. p. 187. — Ganges. 



3. Ambassis barlovi, S//kes, Trans. Zool. Soc. i. p. 350. t. 60. f. 1 (bad). 



4. Priopis argyrozona, (Kiikl tf- e. Hass.) Cuv. ^- Val. vi. p. 503. Known 



from a drawing only : it may be placed for the present among the 

 doubtful species of Audiassis, to which it is allied, though it may be 

 the type of a separate genus. — Java, 

 t Sir J. Richardson is wrong in desci'ibing " both the anterior and the pos- 

 terior edges of tlie piwopprcnlar limb denticulated." {Ichthynlagij, p. 275.) 



