738 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIV. 



there was a reassuring plop. Very luckily for the trio in the dinghy the 

 Surmai had dived into his native element>gain in close proximity to the 

 blade of stroke's oar ; and what of the bait ? It was recovered dangling 

 despondently over the gunwhale ! 



In the waters of the Persian Gulf the Surmai probably attains a maximum 

 weight of 60 lbs. ; his first rush when hooked vies in pace with that of the 

 Pirao, but after the initial dash for liberty is finished this fish soon begins 

 to tire ; it cannot be denied however, that from every point of view the 

 Surmai is the embodiment of gameness. 



A very brief notice will suffice for the second species of Cyhium for the 

 occasions on which this fish takes a trolled bait is rare as his weight does 

 not exceed 4 lbs. The solitary specimen that was recorded attempted to 

 swallow a mullet ^ of its own length in size. By the locals he is termed 

 Ghobap^,!. Cybium interruptum or Cyhium guttatum. 



His characteristics are identical with those of the Surmai, except that in 

 place of the mackerel markings the Ghobart has spots on his sides which 

 are elongated horizontally. The identity of this species could be establish- 

 ed by a reference to the number of teeth in the jaws. Day remarks that 

 Cybium interruptum has teeth comparatively small, equal sized, conical, and 

 somewhat compressed, about 28 or 30 in the upper, and 24 rather larger 

 ones in the lower jaw, whereas the teeth of guttatum are lancet-shaped, 

 laterally compressed, and somewhat wide apart about 10 to 12 in either 

 jaws and frequently some smaller ones likewise present for taking the 

 l)lace of any lost. Day also states that guttatum grows to a length of 

 6 feet, which would rather eliminate the possibility of its being the Jask 

 Ghobart. It is to be hoped that this point may be elucidated. 



Let us now pass on to the review of a family of fishes whose members are 

 renowned throughout the tropical seas of the world for cunning and voracity. 

 viz : — 



SPHYRJ^NIDJi:. 



Of this family only one genus Sphyrcsna figures in Indian waters. Day 

 divides this genus into 4 individual species, the Jask representative being the 

 Koox. SpTiyrcena obtusata. 

 In other words one of the notorious Barracuda tribe. 



KooT. SphyrcBiia obtusata. 20 lbs. 



