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



SuRKHOO. Lutjanus argentimaculatus. 8j lbs. 



Description. 



Weight.— S^ lbs. 



Length. — 2 ft. 1^ inches. 



Girth. — 17 J inches. 



Eye. — Large, iris being blood-red. 



. Teeth. — Each jaw is furnished with a few sharp canine teeth ; villiform 

 teeth on palate which extend almost to gullet ; absent on the tongue ; 

 villiform teeth on upper and lower surfaces of gullet and on the edges of 

 the gills. 



Gill-plate. — Edges curve back, and form a prominent angle posteriorly. 



Fins. — Dorsal is divided into two portions, but these are not separate ; 

 anterior portion consists of 9 rays connected by transparent membrane, 

 posterior portion is rayed. 



Caudal. — Is long and broad, and slightly forked. 



Anal. — ^With the usual 3 sharp spines. 



Pelvic. — Situated a little posteriorly to pectoral with an exterior spine. 



Pectoral. — Of moderate length, narrow and fine. 



Colour. — Head almost plum coloured, gill plates body and tail tinged 

 delicate pink ; dorsal, caudal, and anal fins edged brick -red. 



Scales. — Of medium size. 



Lateral line. — Not well defined. 



Remarks. — Day states that this species attains upwards of 2 feet in length 

 and is good eating. It would appear however that this estimate is too 

 meagre, and the author would place the maximum growth at about 15 lbs., 

 which would approximately give a length of 3 feet. The third anal spine 

 is considerably longer than the second one. When caught, the Surkhoohas 

 a distinct dark golden elliptical mark larger than a rupee covering the 

 lateral line below the soft dorsal. The Surkhoo is a a beautiful fish and 

 when hooked affords good sport ; it is a matter for regret that it does not 

 come to gaff more frequently on a trolled bait. 



Two other species of surface-feeding game fish are included in the list of 

 fish creeled, viz., the 



