1849.] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1211 



head ; on it appear about 44 series of scales. The latter are elongated 

 oval; those of the body double the size of those of the head. The 

 anterior margin carries upwards of 17 minute spines, rough to the 

 touch ; the radical part upwards of 60 radiating lines. A line between 

 the gill-opening and the caudal contains about 85 scales. The lateral 

 line commences at the muzzle, ascends a little above the upper orbit ; 

 from thence it is straight to near the upper margin of the opercle, 

 where it makes a very short ascent, and then continues straight, nearly 

 in the middle of the body to the caudal. Above the preopercle it gives 

 off a short vertical branch, which again is divided in three principal 

 branches : an upper which proceeds backwards to the margin of the 

 opercle, a second obliquely downwards over the opercle, and a third, 

 which following the anterior arch of the preopercle despatches a branch 

 backwards to the lower part of the opercle, and terminates on the 

 throat. Above the opercle the lateral line gives off another short 

 branch which rises vertically, and divides in what is called the second 

 lateral line of which the anterior branch proceeds near the base of the 

 dorsal towards the muzzle, the posterior continues near the dorsal to 

 the caudal. The dorsal commences far in front of the eyes at a short 

 distance from the muzzle. The dorsal, caudal and anal rays are undi- 

 vided, and nearly of equal length, -^ of the head, with the points 

 slightly projecting beyond their membranes. The left ventral is situ- 

 ated at the gill-opening, on a level a little above the anal ; the first ray 

 is very short and closely connected to the second ; the rest gradually 

 increase in length ; the fifth is the longest, \ of the head and by a 

 membrane throughout connected to the first anal. The stomach 

 is capacious, broad pyriform ; the intestinal canal simple, forming 

 two circumvolutions ; its length is less than f of the total. Single 

 individuals occur at Pinang at all seasons. They are of excellent 

 flavour. 



Plagtjsia cynoglossa,* (Buchan. Ham.) Var. A. 



Ikan ledah of the Malays. 



Left side. Ground-colour pale reddish brown, posterior half of head 



* Syn. Achirus cynoglossus, Buchan. Hamilton, 132, 373. Marked Achirus 

 kukurjibha in Buchanan's duplicate series of drawings. 

 Hab. Bay of Bengal, mouths of the Ganges. 



