79 



* 



] / 3 of the length of the head ; the distance across the forehead 

 is 2 / 3 of the diameter. The eye is covered by a thick adipose 

 duplicature with a vertically elliptic aperture over the circular 

 pupil; it occupies the middle of the distance between the 

 muzzle and the posterior margin of the opercle, and borders 

 on the profile. The figure of Russell represents the eye much 

 too small, probably owing to the adipose fold having been 

 overlooked. On the surface of each of the posterior frontal 

 bones appear upwards of 1 1 backwards radiating lines. In the 

 individuals examined at Pinang there appeared from six to 

 eight teeth in the lower jaw, and some on the palatal and 

 pterygoid bones, but none in the upper maxillaries, inter- 

 maxillaries, nor on the vomer. These teeth are so minute 

 that they require to be seen through a lens in dried speci- 

 mens, and they are so very deciduous that their number and 

 position vary not only individually, but from side to side. 

 The scales of the body are large, rounded, very thin and 

 deciduous; those of the back and upper third of the sides 

 have each upwards of 16 longitudinal striae. The sides are 

 covered by 1 1 longitudinal series of scales, of which there 

 appear to be upwards of 45 in the longest series. There 

 are 35 spines on the abdominal profile, the scales of which 

 resemble in breadth those of the species of Pellona. The 

 greatest vertical diameter of the body, in front of the dorsal, 

 is a little less than ! / 4 of the total length. The dorsal occupies 

 the middle of the distance between the muzzle and the root 

 of the caudal; the fourth ray, the longest, equals the extent 

 of the base, which is ! / 2 of the greatest vertical diameter of 

 the body. The fin is half covered by an oblique backwards 

 rising series of scales which almost hide the last rays. The 

 caudal is deeply cleft, the lobes exceed by '/ G the length of 

 the head. The scaly anal rays are very short; the last slightly 

 elongated ; the extent of the base is 2 / 3 of the length of the 

 head ; its distance from the root of the caudal is J / 2 of the 

 extent. The ventrals are situated opposite the centre of the 

 dorsal exactly in the middle between the root of the first 

 pectoral and anal rays; their length is ] / 3 of the head. The 

 length of the pectorals is 2 / 3 of the head. At Pinang single 

 individuals are of rare occurence. Length: 140 mm. 



[After Cantor; not seen by us]. 



Habitat: Pinang; Pondicherry. 



