222 PERCID^. 



Fifth Group. APOGONINA. 



42. AMBASSIS* 



Chanda, sp., Buck. Ham. Fish, of Ganges, p. 103. 

 Ambassis, {Commers.) Cuv. i^ Val. ii. p. 175. 



Bogoda (and Ambassis), Blcek, Nalez. Ichth. Farm. Beng. en Hivdost. 

 p. 89. 



Six branchiostegals. Teeth \illiform, without conspicuously larger 

 canines ; teeth on the palatine bones. Two dorsals, the first Avith 

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

 the dorsal, pointing forwards. Operculum without a prominent 

 spine ; the lower limb of the pra^operculum with a double denticulated 

 edgef. Scales lai'ge, deciduous. 



Small fishes, li\-ing in the fresh and brackish waters and in the 

 seas of the Indian Region ; North Australia ; Dalmatia. 



A. Species with the anal Jin of moderate length (9-11 raj's). 



1. Ambassis robustus. 



D. 7 I ~ A. |. L. lat. 46. L. transv. ^. 



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

 length (without caudal fin) ; the second sjnne 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 line with a rather 

 strongly curved arch beneath the fourth spine of the dorsal fin. Colo- 

 ration (in .sjiints) unifomi. 



Borneo. 



a. Adult. 



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

 this species, which is apparently undescribcd, 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 the head, and one-third 

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

 (Collection. 



* 1. Clianda lata, Buth. Ham. p. 114. pi. 21. f. 39; Cuv. # Val. ii. p. 184; 

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



2. Chanda baculis, Buck. Ham. p. 112; Cuv. 4' Val. ii. p. 187. — Ganges. 



3. Ambassis barlovi, Sj/kcs, Trans. 7awI. Soc. i. p. 350. t. 60. f. 1 (bad). 



4. Priopis argyrozona, {Kahl cj- v. //«.«.) Cuv. |- Val. vi. p. 503. Known 



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

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

 the type of a separate genus. — Java. 

 + Sir J. Richardson is wrong in describing " both the anterior and the pos- 

 terior edges of the pncojiercular limb denticulated." (Ivhthyologi/. p. 275.) 



