306 report — 1845. 



back to the hinder edge of the orbit. Some branching veins exist on the shoulder, but none 

 are visible on the gill-cover. No teeth on the jaws or maxillary. The lateral line cannot be 

 made out. The scales are faintly streaked. Thirty of them compose a longitudinal row, and 

 there are thirteen rows over the ventrals. Thirteen depressed teeth exist on the rim of the 

 belly before the ventrals, and there are fourteen more prominent ones behind these fins. The 

 front of the dorsal is midway between the end of the nose and the base of the caudal. 



The colour of the back is dark greenish- and blackish-gray, forming lines corresponding 

 in number with the rows of scales. Sides and belly very silvery with pearl-gray lines. Snout 

 and top of the head gray and dull crimson, with a greenish shade over the eye; rest of the 

 head silvery with lilac reflexions. Pectorals cream-yellow, glossed in the upper border with 

 purplish-gray. The other fins clove-brown. 



Hab. Chinese seas. 



Alosa palasah, Russell, 198.? Icon. Reeves, /3.51 ; Hardw. Malac. 221. 

 Chinese name, Sam le (Reeves, Birch); Sam lai (Bridgem. Chrest. 183). 

 Bad. B. 6 ; D. 16 ; A. 18 ; P. 15 ; V. 9. (Spec. Br. Mus.) Length of 

 spec. 7 inches. The figure measures 12 inches. 



This species has, like A. reevesii, much resemblance to Russell's figure 198, and as the fin- 

 rays approach pretty nearly to those of the Indian fish in numbers, we have considered them 

 to be the same, but not without doubt, because there is a difference in the size and form of the 

 pectoral, besides other discrepancies. Mr. Reeves's Chinese specimen differs from A. reevesii 

 in having a larger head with its profile running more evenly into that of the back, which is 

 moreover acuminated at the beginning of the dorsal. The head forms a fourth part of the 

 whole length of the fish ; the height of the body is contained thrice and two-thirds in that 

 length, and the thickness is equal to a third of the height. The back is acute, and the belly 

 much more so, and strongly serrated between the ventrals and anus. The mesial ridge of 

 the cranium commences between the nostrils, and after dilating a little, tapers off again and 

 disappears without reaching the nape. The sides of the cranium slope a little downwards 

 from the mesial ridge. The shoulder is feebly veined, but the gill-covers are smooth. 



The maxillary having an oblong-oval form reaches back to the hinder edge of the orbit. 

 The tongue is widely oval with a small keel on its tip, and the symphysis of the lower jaw 

 also rises in a small point. No teeth on the jaws. Forty scales form a longitudinal row, 

 and there are fifteen rows in height. The pectorals are rather larger than those of A. reevesii, 

 and reach nearly to the ventrals, which are attached before the middle of the dorsal. The 

 caudal is much forked. 



The scales are shaded by pale leek-green on the back, and by pearl-gray on the sides and 

 belly. The snout and shoulder-plates are glossed with red. The pectorals, ventrals and 

 upper half of the dorsal are cream-yellow, the rays of the pectorals being buff-coloured. The 

 lower parts of the dorsal, anal and caudal are ash-gray, the latter fin being tinted with car- 

 mine at its base. 



Mr. Reeves mentions that this fish is very plentiful in its season, but is very bony ; and 

 Russell makes a similar remark respecting the Indian fish, which is known at the tables of the 

 English residents by the name of "sable-fish." 



Hab. Seas of China and India. 



Ilisha abnormis, Gray, Cat. Br. Mus. Icon. Reeves, 81 ; Hardw. Malac. 

 240. Chinese name, Tsaoupih, " Dead white" (Birch) ; Tsopih, " White 

 tso" (Reeves); Tso pak (Bridgem. Chrest. 81). Rod. D. 19; A. 48 ; 

 C. 19|; P. 16. (Spec. Br. Mus.) Length of spec. 14^- inches. Length 

 of fig. 15| inches. 



In the 'Regne Animal' (ii. p. 319) Cuvier mentions that the jangarloo of Russell, 191, 

 and his ditchoee, 192*, may be separated from the herrings on account of the position of the 

 dorsal behind the ventrals and the length of the anal. Mr. Gray has given this group a name 

 evidently taken from the specific appellation of one of Buchanan-Hamilton's Clupcee. 



Mr. Reeves deposited a dried and varnished specimen of Ilisha abnormis, numbered in 

 reference to his drawing, in the British Museum. It is a more elongated fish than the jan- 

 garloo, and consequently much more so than the ditchoee. Its profile slopes gently from the 

 nostrils to the shoulder, which is a little gibbous, and then runs horizontally to the dorsal, 

 whence it declines slightly to the caudal. The face has however a marked degree of conca- 

 vity caused by the intcrmaxillaries being inclined upwards, which is common to all the known 

 members of the group. The under profile is a long uniform curve, extending from the under 



* The Clupea qffinis (Gray, Hard. 111. Ind. Zool.) is also a member of this group. 



