PBRCID^E. 505 



B. No oblique bands on caudal. 



L. 1. 70. Second anal spine much shorter 



than dorsal spines 4. T. quadrttineatus, p. 507. 



L. 1. 56. Second anal spine longer and 



stronger than dorsal spines 5. T. argenteus, p. 607. 



668. (1.) Therapon puta. 



Therapon puta, Cuv. # Vol. H. N. Poiss. iii, p. 131 j JDay, Fish. 

 India, p. 08, pi. xviii, fig. 3 (see synon.). 



Kove keetchan, Tarn. (Madras) ; Keelputa, Tel. ; Keetchan, Tam. and 

 Mai. 



D. 11-12/10. P. 15. A. 3/8-9. L. 1.90-100. L. tr. 13-14/24. C. pyl.7. 



Length of head 4 to 4j, height of body 4 in the total length. 

 Eyes diameter 83 to 3| in length of head, 1 from end of snout, 

 and f apart. Preopercle with five or six strong denticulations on 

 its vertical border, the two lower larger than the upper ; the serra- 

 tions are continued along the horizontal border. Teeth jaws with 

 an outer enlarged row. Fins dorsal spines rather slender, the 

 fourth to the sixth about equal and longest ; second anal spine a 

 little shorter than the third ; caudal emarginate. Colour greyish, 

 with three or four longitudinal straight blackish-brown bands ; 

 upper three quarters of dorsal blackish between the 3rd or 4th and 

 7th or 8th spines. Two dark oblique bands across the upper caudal 

 lobe, and one, sometimes two, across the lower one. The young 

 are similar to the adult, except that they look as if light spots were 

 present between the first three horizontal bands. 



Hob. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



669. (2.) Therapon jarbua. (Fig. 153.) 



Sciaena jarbua, Forsk. Descr. Anim. p. 50, no. 57. 

 Therapon jarbua, Day, Fish. India, p. 69, pi. xviii, fig. 4 (see synon.). 

 Palin keetchan, Tam. ; Gahrm, Ooriah ; Nga-sabasa-sa, " Paddy-eating 

 fish," Arrac. ; Hooryooni and Jeerpye, Bengali, Chittagong. 



D. 10-12/9-10. A. 3/8-9. L.I. 80/90. L.tr. 15/30. Vert. 10/15. 

 Length of head from 3| to 4, height of body 3| to 3| in the 

 total length. Eyes diameter 3| to 4 in length of head, 1 from 

 end of snout and also apart. Preorbital serrated in the hinder 

 two thirds of its lower edge. Vertical limb of preopercle with from 

 12 to 14 serrations, the two at its rounded angle being much the 

 strongest, along the lower limb are about eight weaker ones. 

 Upper opercular spine small, the lower large and strong. Sub- and 

 interopercles, shoulder-bone, and bone in the axilla serrated. 

 Teeth an outer somewhat enlarged row in the jaws. Fins dorsal 

 spines moderately strong, the 3rd and 4th the longest ; 2nd anal 

 spine usually the strongest, and slightly shorter than the 3rd ; 

 caudal forked. Colour back bluish grey, becoming white on the 

 abdomen, a tinge of gold along the cheeks and snout. Three 

 longitudinal reddish-brown bands, having a slight convexity down- 



