SCOMBRESOCIDjE. 431 



reach to the end of the base of the anal. Anal begins below the 

 middle of the dorsal fin. Colour bluish, becoming silvery along 

 the abdomen ; pectoral nearly black, with the first ray white and 

 an oblique wide white band passing from its outer margin to a 

 little in front of its base. 



Hab. Two specimens up to 11 1 inches long received from 

 Bombay. The range of this species extends to the Malay Archi- 

 pelago." 



556. (6.) Exoccetus bahiensis. 



Exocoetua bahieusis, Ranzani, Nov. Com. Acad. Sc. Inst. Botion. v, 

 1842, p. 362, t. 38; Day, Fish. India, p. 519, pi. cxxi, fig. 10 

 (see synon.). 



B. xi. D. 12-13. P. 15. V. 8. A. 9-10. C. 19. L.I. 50. 



Length of head 5|, -height of body 6^ in the total length. 

 Eyes 3 diameters in length of head, nearly f from end of snout, 

 and 1| apart. Fins dorsal commences halfway between front 

 edge of eye and extremity of lower caudal lobe, anterior dorsal 

 rays one half as long as head. Ventral arises midway between 

 front end of snout and end of upper caudal lobe, and reaches to 

 centre of base of anal. Pectorals reach to end of base of dorsal. 

 Anal commences below last third of dorsal. Colour dorsal some- 

 times with a dark mark on its summit ; the pectorals darker than 

 the remainder of the fins. 



Hob. Eed Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and 

 beyond. 



557. (7.) Exoccetus mento. 



Exoccetus mento, Cuv. Sf Val. H. N. Poi*s. xix, p. 124 ; Day, Fish. 

 India, p. 520, pi. cxxi, fig. 9 (see synon.). 



B.xi. D. 10-11. P. 13. V.6. A. 10-11. C. 17. L.I. 44. L. tr. 6/2. 



Length of head 4|, height of body 5| in the total length. 

 Eyes 2| to 3 diameters in length of head, about one half from 

 end of snout. Lower jaw a little the longer ; interorbital space 

 smooth, with two grooves which diverge from the snout towards 

 the occiput, ceasing opposite the middle of the orbit. Fins 

 dorsal fin elevated as high as the body, and its membrane deeply 

 cleft ; it commences opposite to or slightly before the first anal 

 ray. Ventrals in some specimens reaching to the anus, in others 

 to the anal fin, arising midway between anterior edge of orbit and 

 base of dorsal. Pectoral reaching to opposite middle or end of 

 dorsal. Lower caudal lobe the longer. Colour bluish, becoming 

 silvery along the abdomen ; dorsal fin black ; upper half of pectoral 

 black, having a white edge ; ventral, anal, and upper lobe of caudal 

 white. 



Hab. Eed Sea, east coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay 

 Archipelago. In the cold season this fish is occasionally numerous 

 at Madras ; I never obtained it above 4-3 inches in length, but it 

 is said to attain to 10 inches. 



