A COLLECTION OF FISHES FROM SUMATRA. 503 



of second dorsal and lateral line ; about 15 scales between latter and origin of anal ; 

 width of head 3 in its length; depth of head 2|- ; mandible 14; length of depi'essed 

 spinous dorsal 3 ; of depressed soft dorsal 2^ ; of depressed anal 2^ ; least depth of 

 caudal peduncle 4-|; pectoral 2^ ; ventral 3|- ; snout 2|- in head, from its tip; eye 

 4|- ; maxillary 2-1- ; interorbital space 4^. 



Body elongate, rather slender, though thicker anteriorly and more compressed 

 posteriorly. Greatest depth about origins of soft dorsal and anal. Caudal peduncle 

 long, compressed, its depth about three in its length. 



Head long, attenuate in front, flattened above, and sides compressed, especially 

 below, so that lower surface is constricted. Snout long, pointed, its upper profile 

 nearly horizontal and premaxillary projecting beyond its tip. Y.ye large, high, pos- 

 terior margin a little behind last third in space between tip of snout and gill-open- 

 ing. Mouth large, a little inclined, and gape reaching about two-thirds of distance 

 to front rim of orbit. Maxillary slightly curved, expanded distally till equal to 

 pupil, and its posterior tip not reaching, but approaching close to front rim of orbit. 

 Expanded portion of maxillary forms rather Icmg blunt projection above which fits 

 into a corresponding deep obtuse preorbital groove. Jaws large, powerful, and 

 mouth not capable of being completely closed. Mandible large, powerful, produced 

 well beyond upper jaw, and with symphyseal protuberance. Four large compressed 

 and slightly curved sharp teeth in front of upper jaw. Teeth uniserial along edges 

 of upper jaw, small, and sharp. Single large canine at symphysis of mandible 

 directed backward. Teeth along sides of mandible uniserial, compressed, sharp, at 

 first small, then gradually increasing in size backward. About six large compressed 

 wedge-shaped sharp pointed teeth in each palatine series, last two or three small. 

 Tongue elongate, rounded in front, free for a good part of its length, and joined to 

 floor of mouth posteriorly by rather thin frenum. Its surface finely asperous above. 

 Nostrils small, inconspicuous, vertical slit near front of eye or just a little behind 

 obtuse maxillary angle. Interorbital space flattened, a trifle elevated, slightly 

 concave in middle, and two long low ridges running out toward end of snout. 

 Preopercle obtusely rounded. Opercle with broad obtuse point above. 



Gill-opening large, carried forward till about opposite front rim of orbit at 

 least. Pseudobranchia^ about equal to one-third of eye. 



Scales small, cycloid, and more or less deciduous in spirits. Small scales on 

 basal portions of most of fins and extending out on a good portion of unpaired ones. 

 Scales on back before dorsals small. Posterior half of head, including cheeks all 

 more or less scaled. Lower inargin of opercle bare. Pectorals and ventrals scale- 

 less, and without flaps. Lateral line nearly straight to base of caudal. 



Spinous dorsal small, depressable in a groove, its insertion a little nearer front 

 margin of eye than insertion of second dorsal. Spines pungent, rather thin, second 

 lono-est and close to first. Soft dorsal inserted about midwav between insertion of 

 first dorsal and base of caudal, its margin concave, first and last rays longest, and 

 former longer than latter. Anal inserted a trifle behind soft dorsal, spines weak, 

 first ray longest, margin concave, and last ray three-fifths its length. Caudal deeply 



