FAMILY, XVI— CAEANGID^. 245 



SYNOPSIS OP INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Lactcmus deUoatulus,!). 7-8 | 2T-Ta> ^- st-tsj L. 1. 74-80. A black spot at the upper and posterior part 

 of the opercle. A dark baud sometimes preseut aloug the soft dorsal and anal fins. Seas of India to the Malay 

 Archipelago. 



1. Lactarius delicatulus, Plate LIII, fig. 2. 



Scomber lactwrims, Bl. Sohn. p. 31. 



Spasms chumdcmah, Bussell, Fish. Vizag. ii, p. 6, pi. 108. 



Laetarms deliaatuhos, Cuv. and Val. ix, p. 238, pi. 261 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 138; Gunther, Catal. ii, p. 607 ; 

 Day, Malabar Fishes, p. 107. 



Fwrnmoah, Mai. ; Sitdumm, Telugu (Gopaulpore). 



B. vii, D. 7-8 | ^i^, P. 17, V. h A. ^!^, C. 17, L. 1. 74-80, Csbc. pyl. 6. 



Length of head 1/4, of caudal 2/9 to 1/4, height of body 2/7 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/3 of 

 length of head, 1/2 to 2/3 of a diameter from end of snout, 4/6 of a diameter apart. Profile with a gradual rise 

 to the first dorsal. The end of the lower jaw, when the mouth is closed, appears on the upper profile. Mouth 

 obhque and large : the upper jaw extending to below the centre of the orbit. Preorbital narrower than the 

 maxillary : preopercle narrow, with its margin entire and angle rounded. Opercle ending in a soft point. 

 Interorbital space convex. Occipital crest well developed, the lateral ridges moderately so. Teeth — a curved 

 canine on each side of the symphysis of the upper jaw, and laterally a single series of fine ones : a central canine 

 . (occasionally two) in lower jaw, and laterally a single row of curved teeth. Teeth on vomer, palatines, and 

 tongue. Fins — first dorsal spine weak, the third the longest : membrane rather deeply notched. Second dorsal 

 highest anteriorly, where it nearly equals the first dorsal, and is about 1/2 the height of the body. Anal similar 

 to the second dorsal. In many specimens taken in Malabar, the fin rays were invariably A. 3/26, but amongst 

 several taken in Madras they were in all instances A. 3/28. Caudal rather deeply lobed. Scales — cycloid, small, 

 and deciduous. Jjateral-lme — in short single tubes. Golowrs — ^the upper surface of the head and the back as low 

 as the lateral'Une of a leaden colour : a black spot exists on the upper and posterior part of opercle. Fins 

 diaphanous, marginal halves of dorsals and caudal minutely dotted with black, sometimes the base is also dark. 

 Iris silvery, upper portion darkish. 



Habitat. — Seas of India, Malay Archipelago, and China. Grows to at least 10 inches in length, is eaten 

 by the natives either fresh or salted, but is insipid. It appears in Malabar in shoals during the months of 

 February and March, but a few are present throughout the year. 



