PERCID.E. 489 



membrane between the second and third dorsal spines spotted with 

 black. 

 Hub. Madras, Malay Archipelago, and Cook's Islands. 



637. (10.) Ambassis gynmocephalus. 



Lutjanus gynmocephalus, Lacep. H. N. Pom. iii, t. 23, fig. 3, and 



iv, p. 216. 

 Ambassis gynmocephalus, Day, Fish. India, p. 54, pi. xv, fig. 6 (see 



synon.). 



Chandee, Ooriah. 

 D. 7 | 1/9-10. P. 15. A. 3/9-10. C. 17. L. 1. 27-29. L. tr. 3/8. 



Length of head 4 to 4g, height of body 3^- in the total length. 

 Eyes diameter dependent on age, in the young 2|, in the adult 

 nearly 3 in the length of the head, | from end of snout and also 

 apart. Lower jaw the longer. Preorbital with six or seven den- 

 ticulations directed downwards and backwards on anterior-inferior 

 edge, and a few serrations on posterior margin ; double edge on 

 inferior limb of the preopercle finely serrated, vertical margin entire. 

 Sub- and interopercles entire. Two or three strong spines directed 

 backwards at the posterior-superior angle of the orbit, and another 

 rather larger posterior to them, occasionally a small spine on 

 shoulder just before commencement of lateral line. Teeth a band 

 along the centre of the tongue. Fins dorsal spines strong, the 

 second nearly or quite as high as the third, or in a few cases a little 

 longer, all the spines striated ; the third anal spine is longer than 

 the second, but not quite so strong, and equal to the fourth dorsal. 

 Lateral line interrupted after about eighth to twelfth scale, in 

 some specimens it ceases entirely. Colour silvery, with a bright 

 longitudinal lateral band, some brown spots on the upper third of 

 the body in its front half ; blackish between its second and third 

 dorsal spines, also a black edge to the caudal. 



Hob. East coast of Africa, seas of India, Malay Archipelago, 

 and China ; attaining at least 4 inches in length. Although 

 generally captured in the sea or saline backwaters, I obtained a 

 specimen from the fresh water in the Cochin State several miles 

 inland. 



638. (11.) Ambassis urotsenia. 



Ambassis urotaenia, Bleeker, Batavia Nat. T/j'dsch. iii, p. 257 ; Dai/, 

 Fish. India, p. 55, pi. xv, fig. 8 (see synon.). 



D. 7 | 1/9-10. P. 13. A. 3/9-10. C. 18. L.I. 27-28. L.tr. 3-4/10. 

 Length of head 4, height of body 3| in the total length. Eyes 

 diameter 2 in length of head, | from end of snout, and f apart. 

 Lower jaw the longer. Preorbital with seven sharp teeth along 

 its inferior edge, a spine at the posterior-superior angle of the 

 orbit. Vertical margin of preopercle entire except two serrations 

 just above its angle ; the horizontal double edge serrated, the lower 

 the more coarsely ; sub- and iuteropercles entire. Teeth a small 



