334 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



dorsal. About 23 rows of scales between tlie snout and origin of the first dorsal fin: few or none on. 

 second dorsal and anal fins. Free portion of the tail, in its least depth, equal to 2| in the length of the head. 

 CoZows— grayish along the back, becoming silvery on the, sides and beneath, a dark line along each row 

 of scales in the upper half of the body. Cheeks golden. Pectoral fin with an oblique, deep blue band across 

 its base, having its outer third dark with a light margin. Second dorsal and caudal gray : anal yellowish with 

 a dark mark along its centre, and a light edge. Some specimens have a black edge to caudal fin and appear 

 very similar to M. Bortonicus, C. V.,* height of body 4a in the total length. 



This species is identical with M. cephalotus, 0. V., which was identified with Porskal's M. oeur. I 

 have obtained it along the Meckran coast. 



The season for capturing these fishes along the western coast of India commences about the middle of 

 November, when they swarm close inshore in order to enter estuaries and the mouths of large rivers to deposit 

 their ova, they continue very numerous until about February. Their roes are collected and dried in the sun 

 with or without the use of salt. 



Habitat.— Red Sea, seas of India to China and Japan. It attains at least 3 feet in length. The 

 specimen figured (life-size) is from Bombay. 



B. No adipose eyelids. 



13. Mugil corsula, Plate LXXI, fig. 6. 



Ham. Buch. Pish. Ganges, pp. 221, 381, pi. 9, f. 97; Cuv. and Val. xi, p. 119 ; Bleeker, Beng, en Hind, 

 p. 101; Eyd. and Soul. Voy. Bonite, Zool. i, p. 172, pi. 4, f. 2 ; Giinther, Catal. iii, p. 460. 



Kalcunda, Ooriah; .Hurd-wah-re, Punj. ; Corsula and In-ge-lee, Beng. ; Undala, Hiad. ; Nga-een, Burma. 

 B. vi, D. 4 I j-l-g, P. 15, V. 1/5, A. f , C. 16, L. 1. 48-52, L. tr. 15, Csec. pyl. ii. 



Length of head 4j to 4|, of pectoral 5|, of caudal 6, height of body 6 to 6i in the total length. 

 J/j/es— without adipose lids, elevated, their upper margin being above the level of the flat, interorbital space, 

 diameter 1/7 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and 1 to 1^ apart. Greatest width of the head 

 equals its postorbital length and its height equals a little more. Head depressed, dorsal profile nearly horizontal. 

 Mouth angular, the upper jaw the longer and overhung by the snout. Preorbital not notched, serrated, and 

 does not conceal the end of the maxilla which reaches to below the middle of the eye. Upper lip thick. 

 Teeth — a single row of fine ones in either jaw. Fins — the first dorsal commences above the sixteenth scale of 

 the lateral-line and somewhat nearer to the base of the caudal than the end of the snout, it has 

 about 28 rows of scales between it and the snout, its spines are about 1/2 as long as the head excluding the 

 snout. The second dorsal arises above the thirty-fourth scale of the lateral-line : anal with its first seven rays 

 anterior to the second dorsal. Caudal slightly emarginate. Soales — finely ctenoid, with a slightly raised line 

 along the centre of each : a few on the second dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. No elongated axiUary scale. 

 Colours — dull brown superiorly, becoming lighter along the abdomen, dorsal and caudal fins stained with gray.. 

 Eyes of a golden colour. Peritoneum black. 



These fish swim with their eyes just above the surface of the water, giving the appearance of a number 

 of tadpoles. Immediately they are disturbed they dive down with great rapidity. 



Halitat. — Rivers and estuaries of Bengal and Burma, found far above tidal influence in the fresh 

 water. It attains a foot-and-a-half or more in length, and is excellent eating. The one figured (life-size) is 

 from Calcutta. 



14. Mugil Hamiltonii, Plate LXXV, fig. 5. 



Day, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 614. 



B. vi, D. 4 [ 1, P. 13, V. 1/6, A. |, C. 15, L. 1. 44, L. tr. 18. 



Length of head 4^ to 4^, of caudal 5, height of body 4i to 6 in the total length. %es— without adipose 

 lids, diameter 2/7 to 1/4 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and li ap4rt. Height of head equals 

 its length excluding the snout, its width equate rather more than its postorbital length. Interorbital space 

 slightly convex, its width equal to one-third of the length of the head. Mouth rather wide, its cleft equal to 

 half its gape, the mandibular angle somewhat obtuse. Lips rather thin, the upper forming the end\of 

 the snout : the maxilla bent but not quite concealed by the preorbital, which latter is not notched but strongly 

 denticulated, with from 10 to 16 strong teeth, the five at its posterior edge being almost spinate. The distance 

 between the nostrils equals half a diameter of the orbit. Uncovered space on chin very narrow and lanceolate. 

 Opercle with a strong spine. Teeth—none visible. Mns-the first dorsal arises midway between the anterior 

 edge of the eye and the base of the caudal fin, above the seventeenth scale of the lateral-line, its longest spine 

 equals the distance between the middle of the eye and the end of the opercle : second dorsal as high as the first, 

 it commences over the anterior third of the anal. Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout. Caudal 

 rather deeply lunated. Scales— no enlarged one in axiUa, they are strongly ctenoid, with a raised line along 

 each: 34 rows between the snout and base of first dorsal fin : some large ones along the base of the first dorsal: 



l^n^tT, .„*.i^ Sorlonicus, C V., has L. 1 42, L.tr. 15, the dorsals ai-ise ^aa in M. oem, but the height of the body is 41 in the total 

 length, and the second dorsal is rather higher than the first. i i 



