1U12 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Oct. 



being nearly equal to the length of the fourth spine. The posterior 

 dorsal commences considerably in front of the anal, the extent of its 

 base equalling the third dorsal spine. The distance between the two 

 fins is nearly equal the base of the anterior dorsal. The two or three 

 posterior or upper filaments are longer than the pectoral fins. In the 

 young they are comparatively larger : one or two reaching to the anal 

 fin. The lobes of the caudal fin are unequal, the lower being, gener- 

 ally, but not always, the longer. The length of the caudal filaments 

 is greater in the very young, in which the lower almost equals the 

 length of the body. The lateral line proceeds nearly straight to the 

 centre of the root of the caudal, from whence it is continued obliquely 

 downwards over the lower lobe. The most striking character by which 

 this species at once may be distinguished from P. plebeius is the 

 structure of the airvessel, of which M. M. Cuvier and Valenciennes 

 observe : " its membrane is silvery, thick, the general form oval. It 

 occupies the whole length of the stomach, terminating behind in a 

 very sharp point, which penetrates the thick of the tail over the first 

 interspinal of the anal. It adheres to the third, fourth, fifth, sixth 

 and seventh abdominal vertebrae. From both sides towards the ventral 

 surface, proceed twenty-eight to thirty-five appendages, which, with 

 the exception of the three last ones, have two roots, but terminate in 

 a single sharp point. Above each of these, towards the dorsal surface, 

 appear one or two others. All the appendages penetrate the thick of 

 the muscles, and are slightly directed towards the back of the fish." 

 (Hist. Nat. des Poiss. T. III. p. 285.) Also this species is distin- 

 guished by a very great number of ccecopyloric appendages, divided 

 in two portions : one containing the longer and larger, adheres to the 

 stomach, the other to the intestine. At Pinang single individuals 

 occur at all seasons, but numbers are taken from June to August. 

 The weight is commonly from 4 to 6 ft, seldom exceeding 20. The 

 airvessel of a good-sized fish when dried, and ready for the market in 

 China, weighs upwards of 2 ounces, is considered very good isinglass, 

 and fetches 25 to 30 Spanish Dollars per Pikul. The fish itself is 

 valued as an article of food, although less so than P. tetradactylus. 

 Synonymy of Polynemus indicus. 

 Russell, the first describer of this species, has also published the 

 only correct figure, No. CLXXXIV. His formula of the fin-rays is : 



