3iS 



They are about equal to those in the intermaxillaries. In the 

 lateral row there are on each side about 5 equidistant canines. 

 Teeth on vomer and palatines slender, curved backwards, in 

 several rows, those of the posterior row the longer. On the 

 vomer they form a A-shaped patch; on the palatines an elongate 

 band. There are 6 or 7 rows of scales between the eye and 

 the hindborder of the praeoperculum and 4 rows on the oper- 

 culum. Lateral line with an abrupt curve downwards at about 

 the 17th — 20th perforated scale. Dorsal beginning behind base 

 of pectorals and ending somewhat behind end of anal. Its 

 origin separated by about 15 scales from tip of snout. Origin 

 of anal about below 17th dorsal ray. Pectorals shorter than 

 postorbital part of head. Ventrals originating about below origin 

 of dorsal, equal to distance between hindborder of eye and 

 hindborder of praeoperculum. Greenish or brownish above to 

 almost black, white or silvery or light brown below. Upper 

 parts with dark streaks and blotches, more or less arranged 

 in oblique bars running forwards, lower parts with similar 

 blotches and streaks, at right angles with those of the upper 

 parts. In older specimens the upper parts are generally so 

 dark as to make these markings obsolete. Lower surface of 

 head and belly white, more or less freckled with brown. A 

 dark band running from corner of mouth to suboperculum, 

 sometimes very faint or absent in old specimens. Pectorals 

 brownish to dark brown. Ventrals white, generally freckled 

 with brown. Dorsal and anal generally freckled or streaked 

 with brown and white. In young individuals there is sometimes 

 a black ocellus at the end of the dorsal fin. Caudal brownish, 

 with obsolete dark bands. Length over 900 mm. 



Nom. in dig.: Gabus (Malay. Javan.), Rajong (Sundan.), 

 Deluk, Kuto (Javan. Madura), Bado (Gaju), Batje (Atjeh), Se 

 Punkat (Palembang), Haruan (Banjermassin). 



Habitat: Rivers, lakes and ponds of Sumatra !, Pulu Weh !, 

 Singapore, Banka, Singkep !, Borneo!, Java!, Madura, Celebes!, 

 Bali, Lombok!, Flores!, Ambon!, Batjan, Halmahera. — Philip- 

 pines, Pinang, Malay Peninsula, Siam, China, British India and 

 Ceylon. Introduced in the Hawaiian Islands. 



Note: Numerous specimens of this very common food fish 

 seen by us. According to SUNDARA Raj (I.e. p. 271): "the nest 

 consists of a circular clearing in grassy swamps or in the 

 weedy edges of ponds and rivers. Both parents, the male in 



