38 MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHES OF COCHIN. [Jan. 10, 
strongest, the third being nearly hidden; they all can be laid flat in 
a kind of sheath, as can also those of the dorsal. 
Colours. General colour greenish brown ; a yellowish-white streak 
passes from just above the eye, along the lateral line, to the centre 
of the caudal. Soft portion of dorsal dotted with brown, and having 
fourteen irregular blotches along its base, extending to the back of 
the fish. Caudal with a black bar at its base, and four or five lighter 
ones between that and its extremity ; anal irregularly spotted. Ab- 
domen, from vent to head, of a dirty yellowish white, with a number 
of blotchy markings extending on to it from the side. Operculum 
greyish brown, the same colour being also found on the throat. 
Przeoperculum of a lighter colour ; lower jaw dirty white. 
Very common in paddy-fields and the Trichoor backwater ; said 
never to grow to a large size; is considered good eating. 
GLYPHIDODON COCHINENSIS, Day, sp. nov. 
BVO D ee! Pree he Ae Looe? eee 
inches. 
Length of specimens from 3-8; to 3,8; inches. 
of head: }Yeaaey: oe 75, or about 2-11ths of total length. 
of pectoral ... .-. - 3; or about 1-6th of total length. 
——— of caudal........ 1,4,, or about 1-3rd of total length. 
of base of dorsal.. 158, or about 2-5ths of total length. 
of base of anal.... 4, or about 2-11ths of total length. 
Ileight of head.......... 7/5, or about 2-11ths of total length. 
——— of body ........ 1,1, or about 2-6ths of total length. 
_ of hard dorsal.... 35, or about 2-15ths of total length. 
of soft dorsal .... 154, or about 2-6ths of total length. 
———— of base of caudal.. 4, or about 1-9th of total length. 
——— of ventral........ 35, or about 1-6th of total length. 
——— ofanal.......... 35, or about 1-8th of total length. 
Diameter of eye ;%; inch, or # length of head ; 3, inch from end 
of snout, ;2; apart. 
Body ovoid, compressed, width at shoulder being scarcely equal 
to half its height; profile from snout to dorsal fin convex. Soft 
portions of dorsal, anal, and caudal fins much elongated. 
Jaws of equal length ; superior maxillary extends as far backwards 
as opposite the anterior margin of the orbit. Praeoperculum entire ; 
posterior limb slightly oblique, and half as long again as the inferior 
limb, which is horizontal, the angle being rounded. Sub- and inter- 
opercula entire. Operculum ending in a flat rather strong spine at 
its centre, a little below the level of the lower margin of the orbit ; 
a second a short distance above, and in one specimen a third about 
an equal distance below the central one. The posterior nostril 
rounder than the anterior, which is transversely oval; they are a 
short distance apart, and near anterior surface of the orbit, slightly 
above its median line. All the opercula and interorbital space scaled. 
Suprascapular, scapular, and humeral bones entire. 
—_ee 
- 
