506 PHTSOSTOML 



Triurus Tnicrocephalus, Swainson, Fislies, ii, p. 288. 



Earpodon microps, Swainson, Mslies, ii, p. 288 ; Bleeker, Sumatra, p^ 56. 



Saurus nehereus, Richardson, Icli. China, p. 301 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 273. 



Saurus opUodon, Cuv. Reg. Anim. ; Cuv. and Val. xxii, p. 490 ; Bleeker, CMro. p. 18 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. 

 and Sc. 1851, p. 147. 



Scmridichthys ophiodon, Bleeker, en Pise. Java, p. 437. 



Earpodon nehereus, Giinther, Catal. v, p. 401 ; Day, Ksh. Malabar, p. 201 ; Bleeker, Atl. Ich. vi, p. 157, 

 and Saurid. t. ii, f. 2. 



Bymmaloh or " Bombay Suck," Gucaih smoahri, or Coao mottah, Tel. 



B. xxiii-xxvi, D. 12-13 I 0, P. 11-12, V. 9, A. 13-15, C. 19, Vert. 38, Cseo. pyl. 16 (22). 



Length of head h\ to 6, of caudal 6, height of body 6| to 7| in the total length. %es— diameter 1/16 

 of the length of the head, 2 diameters from the end of snout, and 4 apart. Body compressed, snout short and 

 obtnse. Lower jaw the longer, the cleft of the mouth ahnost reaches the preopercular angle. Opercular pieces 

 diaphanous and apparently more or less blended together. Teeth — ^recurved and erectile. Those of the jaws 

 and some on the palatines have a single barb at the posterior margin of the point, a few of the former ' 

 are. arrow-shaped. In both jaws appear three series of somewhat distant teeth : the external consists of 

 excessively minute ones, the second of longer, and the internal series the longest. Those of the lower jaw are 

 longer than those of the upper, particularly three or four on each side of the symphysis. The j)haryngeals and 

 palatals contain two rows. The fourth anterior tooth of each palatal is very long. Fine teeth on the tongue, 

 hyoid bone and the upper margin of the branchial arches. Fins — the first dorsal is situated midway between 

 the snout and the root of the caudal : the ventral opposite the dorsal, midway between the snout and the last 

 ray of the anal : the first anal ray midway between the last ray of the dorsal and the root of the caudal : the 

 adipose dorsal opposite the posterior third of the anal. The point of the ventral reaches to the middle of the 

 anal, a long thin elongated scale is situated at its base. The adipose dorsal is rather large. _ The caudal 

 divided into three pointed lobes, of which the centre is rather the shortest. The pectorals are falciform, and in 

 the young reach to the last dorsal ray, but become shorter with age. Scales — commence opposite the origin of 

 the dorsal fin, all are diaphanous, and can with but difficulty be distinguished in the fresh fish. Lateral-lme— 

 rather nearer to the back than to the abdomen: it is slightly keeled with about forty fine rectangular 

 membranous pieces, covered with scales like the rest on the body. Intestines the length of the abdominal 

 cavity being destitute of any convolutions. Golowrs — head, back, and sides semi-transparent like gelatine, light- 

 grayish, with minute starlike black or brownish dots : anterior part of the abdomen pale, silvery -bluish : rest 

 grayish-white : cheeks and opercles pale silvery-bluish, dotted like the body • fins transparent, coloured like the 

 body, but more closely dotted, as to appear grayish and black at their extremities, in some specimens the fins 

 are black. Iris golden. 



This fish is highly esteemed as food, whether fresh or salted, in the latter form it is extensively employed 

 as a relish with curries, and is known as the Bombay duck. 



Eahitat. — Erom Zanzibar to China, seas and estuaries of India, most common at Bombay but decreasing 

 in numbers down the Malabar coast. It is not very common at Madras but augments in numbers up the 

 Coromandel Coast, being very abundant in the rivers and estuaries of Bengal and Burmah. Bleeker observes 

 that it appears to be very abundant in the straits of Malacca, more rare at Java, and uncommon at Batavia. It 

 attains at least 16 inches in length. The specimen figured (Ufe-size) was from Bombay. 



Genus, 4 — Scopelus,* Cwuier. 



Myctophum (Nyctophus) , Lampanyotus, Cocco : Al/ysia, Lowe: Neoscopeltos, Johnson: Ceratoscopelus, 

 Dasyscopelus, Giinther. 



Branchiostegals eight to ten. Gill-openings very icide. Body ohlong and compressed. Eyes large : som-etimes a 

 supraorbital spine. Snout short. Bones of head thin, hut osseous. Cleft of mouth very deep : pre/maxilla/ries long and 

 twpering : maxillaries well-developed. Teeth villiform in both jaws, on the palatines, pterygoids, and on the tongue : 

 usually absent from the vomer except im some large specimens. Bayed dorsal fin in about the middle of the length of 

 the body : a small adipose one likewise present. Pectoral well-developed, as is also the ventral which has eight rays. 

 Anal rather long. Caudal forked. Scales large, smooth, or with rough edges, or even minute spines. Air-vessel small. 

 Pyloric appendages few. 



* The following sub-divisions of the Genus have been adopted : — 



A. The number of dorsal rays more than those of the anal. 



1. Scales of lateral-line enlarged. 



2. „ „ scarcely, if at all, enlarged. NotoseopelMs. 



B. The number of dorsal rays, less than, or equal to, those of the anal. 



1. Eye one-third or more in length of head. No supraorbital spine. 



o. Scales smooth, Myctophum. h. Scales with rough edges, Dasyscopelus. 



2. Eye large : a supraorbital spine. Ceratoscopelus. 



3. Kyes IcKS than 1/3 of length of head. 



a. Scales smooth : those of lateral-line enlarged. Alysia. 



b. Scales smooth : of unequal sizes, hampamfctus. 



c. Scales with minute spines. Neoscopelus. 



