1 84 9. j Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1013 



D 8—1/14, C 20, A. 3/13, V 1/5, P 17. 



Shaw, quoting the description of Russell, named the species P. indi- 

 cus, which denomination, however objectionable, claims priority. 



Buchanan Hamilton described this species as P. sele, which 

 he observed strongly resembles the description of Russell's No. 

 CLXXXIV. but he strangely misunderstood Russell's formula of the 

 anal fin, so as to believe that it expressed "two fins behind the vent," 

 and concluded that P. sele must be identical with P. plebeius. As to 

 the identity of P. sele, there can be no doubt, as there exists iu the 

 duplicate series of Buchanan's drawings, a coloured figure, which 

 although not quite correct, it is but justice to add, is far superior to the 

 two copies of the drawing published by Mr. McClelland. 



M. M. Cuvier and Valenciennes, who could judge of P. sele but by 

 the in part erroneous description of Buchanan, admit on his authority 

 its identity with P. sele, not however without expressing a doubt. 



Mr. McClelland, in Journ. As. Soc. Vol. VIII. p. 203, published a 

 description of " Polynemus sele** and a copy of the drawing in Bucha- 

 nan's duplicate series. The fin-rays are given as follows : 



D 7—14, C 20 (?), A 12 or 13, V 6, P. 13. 



The airvessel is described as " a large spindle-shaped organ about 

 half the length of the fish, thick in the middle and tapering towards 

 the extremities where it ends in front by two, and behind by a single 

 tendenous cord ; similar small tendenous attachments, about twenty - 

 two in number, connect it on either side to the upper and lateral parts 

 of the abdominal cavity." The characteristic form of this organ was 

 first observed by M. M. Cuvier and Valenciennes, and a reference to 

 their description of P. uronemus (P. indicus, Shaw) might have proved 

 the identity of that and P. sele. Notwithstanding the distinctive 

 character presented by the airvessel of this species, Mr. McClelland 

 in an editorial "On the East Indian Isinglass" (Cal. Journ. of Nat. 

 Hist. Vol. III. p. 179) asserts, "Polynemus plebeius, P. lineatus 

 and P. sele are names which have been proposed by different authors 

 for the same species," and suggests as a more appropriate name a 

 new one of his own : P. gelatinosus. Mr. McClelland quotes a trans- 

 lation of the description of Polynemus plebeius, by M. M. Cuvier 

 and Valenciennes, in which it is distinctly observed, that this species 

 " has a very large swimming bladder, thin, and without appendages." 



