1849.] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1 159 



Var. malaccensis, Cuv. and Val. 



Cuv. and Val. VII. 320. 



Ikan sumpit or Sa sumpit of the Malays. 



Head above silvery olive green, brown or blackish, all the rest sil- 

 very buff or greyish ; all the scales with minute brown dots, either 

 spread or collected round the centre, so as to produce faint brownish 

 longitudinal lines ; along the side five large rounded spots : the 

 first on the occiput in front of the opercle ; the second behind the 

 opercle, intersected by the lateral line ; the third between the spiny 

 and soft dorsal ; the fourth close to the termination of the soft dor- 

 sal ; the fifth at the upper half of the root of the caudal ; above 

 this series another of smaller black spots, viz. one between the first and 

 second lower spots ; another between the second and third ; a third at 

 the centre of the base of the soft dorsal ; in some the upper series of 

 spots is confluent along the back ; some have a small black spot on the 

 symphysis of the lower jaw. Dorsal spines and membrane either brown- 

 ish black or greyish, minutely dotted with black ; the soft dorsal silvery 

 olive, with a large oblique black spot joining the third of the upper 

 dorsal series ; another spreading over the upper half of the posterior 

 seventh or eighth ray ; margin of the soft portion black ; caudal bright 

 gamboge with a more or less distinct black, backwards arched band 

 behind the root ; upper half of anal silvery olive or greyish green, lower 

 half black ; pectorals and ventrals white, the latter with a large black 

 spot, in some occupying nearly the whole space between the first and 

 fourth ray. Iris bright gamboge or orange, blackish towards the orbit. 



D 5/12 or 13, C 1 7f , A 3/15, 16 or 17, V 1/5 P 13 or 14, Br. VII. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang, Malayan Peninsula, Singapore. 



New Guinea, Isle of Biiru, Java, Malabar, mouths of the 



Ganges. 



Total length : 7 inch. 



This appears to be the variety, described by M. M. Cuvier and 

 Valenciennes from a drawing in the series, formerly in the late Colonel 

 Farquhar's possession. The food of several examined, consisted of 

 remains of Crustacea. In the Straits of Malacca this fish occurs, but 

 not numerously, at all seasons. It is eaten by the Malays, who 

 record its habits in the denomination : ikan signifying a fish, sumpitun 

 a blow-pipe. 



7 k 



