10-10 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Oct. 



of the head, while the vertical is but -| of the oblique diameter. The 

 head above is depressed, slightly arched between the eyes, the distance 

 of which is about double the oblique diameter. The nostrils open 

 closely in front of the eye : the posterior obliquely oval aperture is but 

 little larger than the minute rounded anterior, the margin of which is 

 provided with a small raised membranous fold. The mouth is large ; 

 the widely arched upper jaw is hidden when the mouth is closed, by 

 the scaly fold which covers the infraorbitals ; the lower jaw is scaly, 

 narrower, more pointed, and slightly shorter than the upper, which is 

 naked, with longitudinal strise, and a rather large triangular impression 

 near the angle, which is situated opposite the posterior part of the 

 orbit. In the upper jaw appear an external series of pointed inwards 

 arched, distant teeth. On each side of the symphysis is one or two 

 canines, larger than the rest ; the other teeth gradually decrease in size 

 towards the angle of the mouth. At a slight interval behind the ex- 

 ternal appears a second narrow series of minute crowded conical (card- 

 like) teeth. In the lower jaw the external series consists of conical 

 teeth, although small, yet perceptibly larger than the card-like ones of 

 the upper jaw. The internal series consists of single distant large 

 teeth, increasing in size as they approach the angle of the mouth. 

 The tongue is large triangular, pointed, fleshy on each side of the 

 base, flat, bony in the centre, membranous towards the margins and 

 the apex. The angle of the preopercle is rounded, the ascending 

 margin is but very indistinctly crenulated. The bony part of the oper- 

 cle terminates in two flat points of which the upper is the smaller ; 

 both are enveloped in a membranous point, projecting beyond the root 

 the pectoral fin, and formed by a prolongation of the subopercle. The 

 third upper branchiostegous ray is very broad, like the blade of a sabre. 

 Above the pointed termination of the opercle appears another, trian- 

 gular point, formed by a lobe of the skin, the scales of the margins of 

 which terminate in short setaceous points. This second, earlike ap- 

 pendage also appears in Otolithus pama* (Buchan. Ham.) The body 

 is elongated cylindrical, compressed towards the back ; the vertical dia- 



* Syn. Bola pama, Buchan. Ham. 79, 368, PI. 32, Fig. 26.— Sciama pama, 

 Cuv. and Val. V. 55, PI. 101, who observe it might with equal propriety be con- 

 sidered a species of Otolithu*. Their description appears to have been drawn up 



