120 SCOEPIDID.E. 



G brancliiostegal rays ; pseudobranchi« large. Dorsal and anal elongate 

 and thickly scaled, the former with 7 or 8, the latter with 3 spines ; 

 anterior spines short and isolated, posterior elongate but only their 

 extremity projecting from the scaly skin. Ventrals very small or 

 rudimentary, below the pectorals. Vertebra 23-24(9-10 + 14). Air- 

 bladder bifurcate behind. 



Coasts of Africa, Southern Asia, and Australasia. 



Sijno])sis of the Species. 



Deprli oE body li to 2 times in total length; .-- 



D. VllI 27-30; A. Ill 27-30; 20-24 gill- 



rukcrs on lower part of ant(M-ior arcli ; vential [p. 120. 



witli 5 soft rays 1. 7\ /(/rZ/ljrHiKs Lacep., 



Depth cf bodv 1^ to U times in total lengtli ; 



D. Vlir28-30; A. Ill 20-32; 17-19 gili- 



rakers; ventral with 2 to 4 i^oft rays .... 2. P. argcnteus, L., p. 121. 

 Depth of body greater than length ; D. YIII (rarely 



YII) 31-34 ; A. Ill 34-38 ; 20-24 gill-rakers ; 



ventral with orwidioiit 1 or 2 soft rays . . . 3. P. sebw, C.Si V.,p. 123. 



1. PSETTUS FALCIFORM IS. 

 Monoth(ct_i/h(S falciformis, Lacep. Hist. Poiss. ii. pi. v. fig. 4 (1801), and iii. p. 132 



(1802). 

 Pin'tivs commersomi, Cuv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. vii. p. 250 (1831). 

 F sett us falciformis, G until. Cut. Fish. ii. j). 488 (I860) ; Day, Fish. Ind. p. 234, 



].]. li. a". Hg. 6 (1870); Saiiv. Hist. Madag., Poi.ss. p. ,334 (1891); M. Web. 



Zool. Jahrb., Sy.st. x. 1897, p. 14 2. 

 St romat aided laf/ardi, (Jasteln. Mem. Poiss. Afr. Austr. p. 44 (18(U). 

 PsettKs o)'}>irnla)-is, Guichen Mem. Soc. Sei. Cherbourg, xii. 180(5, p. 130. 

 Fsettiis arr/eiiteiis, part, Khinz. Fische Uotli. Meer. p. 117 (1884). 



Depth of body IJ ^^ 2 times in total length, length of head 2| to oj 

 times. Snout about ^ as long as eye, which is 2 to 2J times in length 

 of head and exceeds by J or J interorbital width ; maxillary extending 

 to below anterior fourth of eye ; head entirely covered with very small 

 scales. Gill-rakers long, 20-24 on lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal 

 VIII 27-30 ; last spine ^, or a little less than i, length of head ; anterior 

 soft rays much longer, forming an obtuse lobe. Anal III 27-30 ; third 

 spine I to ^ length of head. Ventral very small but well developed, 

 with a spine and 5 soft rays. Caudal feebly emarginate. Caudal 

 peduncle as long as deep or a little deeper than long. 50-60 tubes in 

 lateral line. Silvery, back brownish ; extremity of anterior dorsal and 



