394 TELEOSTBI. P1IYSOSTOMI. 



anal. Colour silvery, steel-blue along the back, and with a 

 golden tinge about the head. Dorsal and caudal fins yellowish ; 

 the others uncoloured. 



ffab. Seas and estuaries of Sind and both sides of India, also the 

 Malay Archipelago; attaining at least 12 inches iu length. 



502. (12.) Engraulis coinmersoniamis. 



Stolephorus commersonianus, Laytpede, H. N. Poiss. v, p. 332, t. xii, 



fig. 1. 

 Engraulis commersouianus, Day, Fish. India, p. 629, pi. clviii, fig. 1 



(see synon.). 



B.xi-xiii. D.14-16. P.15-16. A.19-21. C.19. L. 1.38-40. L.tr.8-9. 



Length of head 5 to 5^, height of body 51 to 5| in total length. 

 Ey?s 3| diameters in length of head, | to | diam. from end of 

 snout, and nearly 1 apart. Snout projecting considerably beyond 

 ana overhanging the mouth. The maxilla continued to the gill- 

 opening. Fins dorsal commences behind ventrals. Anal com- 

 mences below middle of dorsal. PseudobranchiaD well developed. 

 Colour silvery, greenish above ; opercles shining silvery shot with 

 gold. A large black spot, sometimes indistinct, just behind the 

 occiput. A broad silvery band passes from the centre of the gill- 

 opening to the tail, becoming wider behind. Abdomen light buff- 

 colour. Fins yellowish, with minute black dots. Eyes silvery ; 

 orbital margin dark. 



Hob. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. This attains to 

 about 8 inches in length, and is much esteemed for eating. It is 

 known as "Whitebait" amongst Europeans, and is captured in 

 India in great numbers. In the Straits Cantor states that large 

 quantities are preserved for exportation to China and India. 



503. (13.) Engraulis indicns. 



Engraulis indlcus, V. Hasselt, Algem. Konst.-Letterb. 1823, p. 329; 



Day, Fish. India, p. 629, pi. clviii, fig. 3 (see synon.). 

 Nattoo, Tel. ; NetteUee, Tarn. ; Zoo-roo-cartrdah, Andam. 

 B. xi-xiii. D. 15-16. P. 15. V. 7. A. 19. C. 19. L.I. 40. L.tr. 8-9. 



Length of head 4f to 5, height of body 6 to 6| in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 3| in length of head, f to f diam. from 

 end of snout, and 1 apart. Maxilla truncated opposite the man- 

 dibular joint. Fins first half of dorsal in advance of the origin 

 of the anal. Scales very deciduous ; 4 scutes before the base of 

 the ventral fin. Pseudobranchiae present. Colour silvery, dashed 

 with green along the back, and sometimes some dark spots behind 

 the occiput. A brilliant silvery band passes from opposite the 

 upper edge of the eye to the middle of the caudal fin. 



Hob. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, ascending tidal 



