428 TKLEOSTEI. PIIYSOSTOMI. 



It is curious to observe these fish in tidal rivers, they swim near 

 the surface, with their milk-white upper jaw generally visible. 



Hcib. Hooghly, tidal stream at Akyab, Burma, Siam, and the 

 Malay Archipelago ; attaining at least 6 inches in length. 



550. (13.) Hemirhamphus brachynotopterus. 



Hemirhamphus brachynotopterus, Sleeker, Batav. Gcnootsch. Ver- 

 hand. xxv. Beng. en Hind. p. 140 ; Day, Fish. India, p. 517 (see 

 synon.). 



D. 9. A. 15. C. 16. 



Length of head 3, of beak 4|, height of body 12 in the total 

 length. Et/es 2 diameters in postorbital length of head, rather 

 above 1 apart. Body elongate and compressed, a little higher 

 than wide. Upper ja\v rather wider than long. Upper surface 

 of head flat. Fins first ray of the dorsal over the fifth of the 

 anal, length of the base of the anal not quite twice as long as 

 that of the dorsal. Anal not lower than the body, its inferior 

 edge concave. Caudal rounded. 



Hob. Eiver Hooghly, whence Dr. Bleeker received a single 

 small specimen, which unfortunately is now in a bad state. 



3. Genus EXOCCETUS, Artedi. 



Syn. Cypsilurus, Swains. ; Halocypselus, Weiuland ; Pare.roccetus, 

 Bleeker. 



Body moderately oblong. Gill-openings very wide. Jaws 

 short ; the premaxillaries and maxillaries separate. Mandible 

 in some species with a tubercular prolongation. Barbels present 

 or absent. Teeth, when present, minute and rudimentary. Pec- 

 torals elongate, used as an organ for flying. Air-bladder large. 

 Pyloric appendages absent. 



As many species of flying-fish are only known from young 

 specimens, the size of the eye and tbe length of the fins as given 

 in descriptions must be accepted witb reservation. Barbels in 

 some species may be an indication that the fish is immature, so 

 may vertical bands on the body. 



Geographical Distribution. Seas of temperate and tropical regions. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



A. Ventrals short, not nearly reaching anal. 

 a. Ventrals inserted nearer to tail than to 



head 1. E. mt'cropterus, p. 429. 



6. Ventrals inserted nearer to head than to 



tail 2. E. evolans, p. 429. 



B. Ventrals long, reaching to root of caudal. 3. E.furcatus, p. 429. 



C. Ventrals reaching middle or end of base 



of anal, but not to caudal. 

 a. Pectorals spotted black 4. E. pceciloptcrus, p. 430. 



