1865.] MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHES OF COCHIN. 307 
Profile slightly raised to base of dorsal, and thence gently sinks 
to the caudal; inferior surface of body much more convex than 
that of the back. The upper margin of lower jaw when closed is 
flush with the upper surface of the head. 
Mouth oblique. Lower jaw the longest; extremity covered with 
a knob, which is received into an emarginate space formed by the 
intermaxillaries. Lips thin, covering the jaws. Przeorbital small, 
irregularly quadrilateral ; the lower extremity the smallest, forming 
a sort of apex. Upper margin of orbit close to profile. Upper sur- 
face of head nearly flat. Opercula smooth. 
Fins. Dorsal arises rather nearer to snout than it does to the pos- 
terior extremity of the caudal, but is entirely situated in the poste- 
rior half of the body (excluding the caudal fin). Anal arises oppo- 
site the dorsal. Caudal lobed. Pectorals just reach the ventrals. 
Ventrals do not extend to the anal. Anterior extremity of dorsal 
and anal the highest. Margin of dorsal convex, of anal slightly 
concave. 
Scales with well-marked lines radiating from their posterior mar- 
gin : their rows run obliquely towards the back. Lateral line strongly 
concave, and situated in lower fifth of the body. 
Pharyngeal teeth curved, pointed; the external row being much 
the largest—5, 4, 1/1, 4, 5. 
Colours. Four yellow horizontal lines passing from the head to 
the tail, the highest and lowest of which are much less brilliant than 
the others. Between these lines, colour bright blue. Lower part 
of abdomen silvery. A bright blue spot on the operculum. Fins 
finely dotted with black. A dark line runs along the centre of the 
caudal. 
Common in rivers, and also found in stagnant tanks. Is eaten 
by the natives. 
PancHax Linreatum (Cuv. & Val.). 
Save Ele Ve Ge AL Ly. 197 LL od. a, or 9. 
Length of specimens from 2,5, to 3,2; inches. 
The length of the ventral and caudal fins vary very much in dif- 
ferent seasons of the year. 
It is exceedingly common in all rivers, tanks, paddy-fields, and 
even in pieces of water within the influence of the tides. It is eaten 
by the natives. 
The Exrts are amongst the most difficult of fish to obtain at Cochin, 
in consequence of the dread in which the natives hold them. Un- 
fortunately the Sea-snakes abound along the Malabar coast; and 
snake-like fishes are therefore held in awe. Even if captured, neither 
Mahomedans nor Jews will touch them; whilst there seems to be 
some antipathy against their use amongst the servants of Europeans, 
so that they rarely appear at the table. The bite of the Murenesox 
telabon (Cuv.) and also of several other species of Hels is severe, 
and dangerous wounds are frequently caused by them. 
