1867.] SURGEON F. DAY ON NiaW FISHES OF MADRAS. 939 



ray ; the fin twice as high anteriorly as posteriorly. Caudal deeply 

 lobed. • ■ ^ ■' 



Scales in parallel horizontal rows. 



Lateral line follows the curve of the back, in the upper fourth of 

 the body. It consists of a single tube in each scale, with branching 

 roots, which are most distinct superiorly. 



Air-bladder absent. 



Colours. Chestnut along the back, becoming golden on the abdo- 

 men. Head reddish ; a silvery stripe from the eye to the centre of 

 the caudal fin, with a row of red spots above it, and another below it. 

 Two reddish bars cross both the dorsal fins. Caudal with four oblique 

 reddish bars across the upper lobe, whilst the lower is reddish and 

 without bars. Pectorals, ventrals, and anal fins yellowish. Eye silvery. 



Otolithus aneus, Bloch, 



B.vii. D. 10|,^. P. 17. V. 1/5. A. 2/7. C. 17. L. 1. 52. 

 L. tr. 9/15. 



Length of specimens up to 8^ inches. 



Length of head f , of pectoral f , of base of first dorsal ^, of base 

 of second dorsal f , of base of anal y^ of caudal i of the total length. 

 Height of head |, of body nearly f , of first dorsal ^, of second dorsal 

 t\j-> of ventral |, of anal -jL of the total length. 



Eyes. Diameter ^ of length of head ; 1 diameter apart, 1 diameter 

 from end of snout. 



Body rather compressed, and about equally convex along both its 

 dorsal and abdominal profiles. 



Mouth oblique, the posterior extremity of the maxilla extending 

 to beneath the centre of the orbit ; interorbital region rather convex. 

 Both vertical and horizontal margins of the praeoperculum crenulated, 

 angle slightly rounded. Two weak spines on operculum. 



Teeth. An external row of ten or twelve conical and rather re- 

 curved teeth in the upper jaw, and an internal row of villiform teeth 

 which are strongest in the posterior portion of the jaw. Also villi- 

 form teeth in the lower jaw with some conical ones intermixed, which 

 are largest opposite to the symphysis. There are no large canines as 

 in the O. ruber. 



Fins. First dorsal somewhat triangular ; the second dorsal parallel 

 to the back. Pectoral pointed, extending to opposite to the third 

 or fourth dorsal ray. The anal commences under the posterior third 

 of the second dorsal. Caudal cut rather square. Dorsal spines 

 weak, the first short, second and third the longest; interspinous 

 membrane very slightly emarginate. Dorsal rays only branched in 

 their upper third. Second anal spine the longest, but rather weak ; 

 it is two-thirds the length of the first ray. 



Scales over head, opercles, cheeks, and prseorbitals passing in rows 

 backwards and upwards above the lateral line, and in much the same 

 direction below it. 



Lateral line in upper fourth of body, in single tubes with branch- 

 ing roots superiorly, and extending along the tail to its extremity. 



