1 849 .] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1109 



a broad gamboge band ; the rest of the body shining silvery ; dorsal 

 and caudal fins gamboge, the rest white. Iris silvery, blue towards the 

 orbit. In some individuals a large bluish black spot on the upper 

 part of the opercle. 



D 8—1/25 or 26, C 17$, A 2—1/22 or 23, V 1/5, P 20, Br. VII. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang, Singapore. 

 Java, Manilla. 



Total length : 4f inch. 



The length of the head is 3^ in the total, measured to the centre 

 of the posterior margin of the caudal ; the depth at occiput is \ less 

 than the length. The diameter of the orbit, which is surrounded by 

 a very narrow adipose fold, is ^ of the length of the head. The lower 

 margin of the opercle is straight. The snout is uncommonly protrac- 

 tile ; the teeth of both jaws are excessively minute, so as to be barely 

 perceptible to the touch. The very slight arch of the lateral line 

 terminates opposite the middle of the second dorsal ; the anterior part 

 of the rest is covered by minute scales, which do not perceptibly in- 

 crease in size till opposite the posterior third of the second dorsal, from 

 whence may be counted 25 such. None of these scales exceed T ^- of 

 the greatest vertical diameter of the body, which equals the length of 

 the head. The length of the falcated pectorals also equals that of the 

 head. M. M. Cuvier and Valenciennes describe C. mertensii as merely 

 differing by the absence of the black opercular spot. At Pinang, 

 where the fish is uncommon, individuals occur with and without the 

 spot, in forms and colours so exactly like, as to leave no doubt about 

 their identity. 



C. — With trenchant profile, forming a segment of a circle ; plates 

 exclusively on the straight portion of the lateral line ; pectorals falci- 

 form; in front of the first dorsal an immoveable horizontal spine s often 

 hid in the integuments. 



Caranx forsteri, Cuv. and Val. ? 



Scomber hippos, Lin. apud Forster? 



Caranx forsteri, Cuv. and Val. IX. 107? 



Young. Head above and back golden green, lighter on the sides ; rest 

 of the body shining silvery ; abdomen with mother-of-pearl reflections ; 

 at the angle of the opercle a very faint bluish black spot ; first dorsal 

 minutely dotted with brown, so as to appear pale grey ; ventrals and 



