1-20 SCOEPIDID-E. 



6 branchiostegul rays ; pseudobranchise 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 bnt only their 

 extremity projecting from the scaly skin. Ventrals very small or 

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

 bladder bifurcate behind. 



Coasts of Africa, Southern Asia, and Australasia. 



Synojisis of the Species. 



Depth o£ body 1\ to 2 tiines in total lengtli ; 



D. Vni 27-30 ; A. Ill 27-;',() ; 20-24 gill- 



riikers on lower part of anterior arch ; ventral [p. 120. 



with 5 soft rays 1. P. /afa/oj-mw, Lacep., 



Depth of body 1^ to 1^ times in total length ; 



D. VIII 28-30; A. Ill 29-32; 17-19 gili- 



rakers; ventral with 2 to 4 soft rays .... 2. P- argenteus, L., p. 121. 

 Depth of bod}- greater than length ; D. YIII (rarely 



VII) 31-34 ; A. Ill 34-3.S ; 20-24 gill-rakers ; 



ventral with or without 1 or 2 soft rays . . . 3. P. sehw, 0. it V.,p. 123. 



1. PSETTUS FALCIFOKMIS. 



MonoiJadi/his falciformh, Lacep. Hist. Poiss. ii. jil. v. fig. 4 (1801), and iii. p. 132 



(1802). 

 Psetius commersonn, Cuv. & V.'il. Hist. Poiss. vii. p. 250 (1831). 

 Psettu.-< fah-iformis, Glintli. Cut. Fish. ii. p. 488 (18tJ0) ; Day, Fish. Ind. p. 234, 



pi. li.A. tig. 6 (1876); Sauv. Hist. Madag., Poiss. p. 334 (1891); M. Web. 



Zool. Jahrb., Syst. x. 1897, p. 142. 

 Stromatoidea lai/ardi, Casteln. Mem. Poiss. Afr. Austr. p. 44 (18G1). 

 Psettus orliicnluris, Guichen Mem. Soc. Sci. Cherbourg, xii. 186G, p. 13G. 

 PsHtus argenteus, part , Klunz. Fische Roth. Meer. p. 117 (1884). 



Depth of body 1|- to 2 times in total length, length of head 2f to 3^ 

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

 of head and exceeds by | or f interorbital width ; maxillary extendino- 

 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 i or a little less than A, 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 



