412 TELEOSTEI. PIIYSOSTOMT. 



525. (1.) Harpodon nehereus. (Fig. 132.) 



Osraerus ? nehereus, Ham. finch. Fish. Ganc/e*, pp. 209, 380. 

 Harpodon nehereus, Day, Fish. India, p. 505, pi. cxviii, fig. 1 (see 



synon.). 



Bummaloh or " Bombay duck," Cucah sawahri, or Coco motf.ah, Wanah 

 monah, Tel. ; Bonibil, Marathi ; Barcya, Arracan ; Luftia muchcc, Chitta- 

 gong ; Nga hnat, Burmese. 



D. 12-13 | 0. P. 11-12. V. 9. A. 13-15. C. 19. Vert. 38. 



Length of head 5| to 6, height of body 6| to 7 in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter -^ of the length of the head, 2 diameters 

 from end of snout, and 4 apart. Lower jaw the longer. Oper- 

 cular pieces diaphanous and apparently more or less blended 

 together. Fins ventral opposite the dorsal; the adipose dorsal 

 opposite the posterior third of the anal; ventral reaches to the 

 middle of the anal; caudal divided into three pointed lobes, of 

 which the median is rather the shortest. Scales commence op- 

 posite the origin of the dorsal fin, all are diaphanous, and can but 



Fig. 132. Harpodon nehereus. 



with difficulty be distinguished in the fresh fish. Lateral line 

 slightly keeled, with about forty fine rectangular membranous 

 pieces, covered with scales like the rest of the body. Colour 

 head, back, and sides semitransparent like gelatine, light greyish, 

 with minute black or brownish dots ; anterior part of the abdomen 

 pale, silvery bluish ; rest greyish white ; fins transparent, closely 

 dotted, in some specimens black. Iris golden. 



Hob. From Zanzibar to China, throughout the seas and estuaries 

 of India, most common at Bombay, but decreasing in numbers 

 down the Malabar coast. It is not very common at Madras, but 

 augments in numbers up the Coromandel coast, being very abun- 

 dant in the rivers and estuaries of Bengal and Burmah. 



This fish is highly esteemed as food, whether fresh or salted ; 

 in the latter form it is extensively employed as a relish with 

 curries, and is known as the " Bombay duck." It attains at least 

 ] 6 inches in length. 



