TAMILT, XIX-SCOMBRID^. 255 



of preopercle emarginate. Tieth — comparatively small, equal sized, conical and somewhat compressed, about 

 28 or 30 in the upper, and 24 rather larger ones in the lower jaw, they are placed close together as shown in 

 Eussell's figure: in a patch rounded anteriorly and slightly emarginate laterally on the vomer, and in a band 

 along the palatines. Fins — dorsal spines weak : second dorsal commences midway between the anterior nostril 

 and the base of the caudal fin, anteriorly it is 1/2 the height of the body, its upper edge concave: anal 

 commences below the first third of the second dorsal which fin it resembles. Caudal deeply forked. Lateral- 

 line — ^with a gradual descent. Colours— hlviish. along the back becoming white on the sides and below, three 

 rows of elongated blotches along the sides, almost forming interrupted bands, the two upper sets of blotches 

 cross the lateral-line below the second or third finlet : first dorsal dark, its outer edge nearly black. 



The above appears to be Russell's fish, the number of teeth separates it. from the G. guttatwm, (Bl. Schn.) 

 C. V. It is also most probably 0. interruptum, C. V., from Pondicherry, which is said to have 28 teeth in the 

 upper and 16 in the lower jaw. 



'Habitat. — Seas of India. The specimen figured (from Madras) is a little over 15 inches, it attains at 

 least 3 feet in length. 



3. Cybium guttatum, Plate LV, fig. 1 {yowng) and LVI, fig. 4 {adult). 



Scomber guttatus, Bl. Schn. p. 28, f. v. 



CyUwm guttatmn, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 173 ; Eichards. Ich. China, p. 268 (pt.) ; Cantor, Catal. p. Ill ; 

 Bleeker, Makr. p. 38 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 371 ; Day, Pish. Malabar, p. 71 ; Kner, Novara Pisohe, p. 143. 

 Cybium lineolatv/m. Cantor, Catal. p. 110. 



B. vii, D. 16-17 | T*=f6 + viii-x, P. 21, V. 1/5, A. ^!_4,vii-ix, C. 26. 



Length of head 5 to 5i, of caudal 4|- to 5, height of body 6 in the total length. Eyes^ddsivnei&r 5f to 

 6| in the total length, 2 diatneters from end of snout, and l-i- apart. Greatest width of head equals 1/2 its 

 length, and its height equals its length behind the anterior nostril. The maxilla reaches to below the hind edge 

 of the eye. Vertical Umb of preopercle slightly emarginate. Teeth — lancet-shaped, laterally compressed, and 

 somewhat wide apart, about 10 to 12 ia either jaw and frequently some smaller ones likewise present for taking 

 the place of any lost ; they are much longer in the lower jaw : in a triangular patch on the vomer, and in a 

 band on the palatines. Fi/ns — ^first dorsal spines weak, and ending in soft points : second dorsal highest 

 anteriorly where it equals 4/7 of that of the body below it, and has a concave upper edge : anal commences 

 Ipelow the first third of the soft dorsal. Lateral-line — having a very gradual descent, it becomes somewhat 

 undulating opposite the com m encement of the second dorsal, and very much so below the third and fourth 

 finlets. The keel on the lateral-line well developed. Colowrs — ^bluish above, sUvery beneath : back and sides 

 with three rows of round or rather horizontally oval spots, which become most apparent after death : the 

 membrane between the first and eighth spines black, the rest pure white edged with black : in the young the 

 first dorsal is occasionally almost wholly black. 



Habitat. — Seas of India, Malay Archipelago, and China. Grows to 6 feet in length, is good eating, and 

 salts well. Specimens under a foot in length are dry, from two to two-and-a-half feet long they are in the best 

 condition, above that they become coarse. They should be cooked when quite fresh. They are also one of the 

 best fish for " Tamarind fish." Are captured in numbers from October throughout the cold months along aU 

 the Indian coasts. 



Cantor's specimen of 0. lineolatwm, in the, British Museum, has the formula of the fins as above, and 11 

 or 12 teeth in either jaw. The specimen figured, PI. LV, f. 1 (from Canara) is 9 inches long, the older one 

 PI. LVI, fig. 4, is from Madras. 



4. Cybium Commersonii, Plate LVI, fig. 6. 



Scomber Commersonii, Lacep. ii, p. 600, pi. 20, f. 1 ; Shaw, Zool. iv, pp. 589 and 690, pi. 83. 



Scomber maculosus, Shaw, Nat. Misc. No. 982, and Zool. iv, p. 592. 



Scomber konam, Russell, ii, p. 27, pi. 135. 



Cyhvum Commersonii, Cuv. Reg. Aniim. ; ? Riipp. Atl. Pische, p. 94, t. 25, f. 1 ; Cuv^^^and Val. viii, p. 165 ; 

 Eiipp. K". W. Pische, p. 41 (pt.) ; Richards. Ich. China, p. 268 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 108 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and So. 

 1851, p. 136; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 370; Day, Pish. Malabar, p. 69; Klunz. Verb. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1871, 

 p. 444. 



Cyhimn honam, Bleeker, Makr. p. 357 ; ? Kner, Novara Pische, p. 144. 



Gkumbwm, Mai. ; Konarni, Mah-vm-laachi, or Ah-hu-lah, Tam. 



B. vii,"D. 16-17 | rl^fr + i^i-x, P. 20-23, V. 1/5, A. ^zf, -f-ix-x, C. 21. 



Length of head 1/4 to 1/5, of caudal 1/5 to 2/11, height of body 2/11 to 1/7 of the total length. Eyes— 

 diameter 2/9 to 1/5 of length of head, li to 2 diameters from end of snout, and 1^ apart. Greatest width of 

 head equals 3/7, and its height 3/5 of its length. The maxilla reaches to below the centre or hind edge of the orbit. 

 Posterior border of preopercle rather emarginate, and its angle rounded and slightly produced. TeeiA— -strong, 

 conical, compressed laterally, those in the upper jaw varying in number from about 11 to 25, the posterior ones 

 being rather the smallest. In the lower jaw there are from 10 to 15 of the same shape, but the posterior ones 

 are the largest. A triangular group of villiform teeth on the vomer, and a long narrow band on the palatines. 



