1 230 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes, [Nov. 



caudal. At Pinang this species is numerous at all seasons, but larger 

 individuals occur at irregular intervals. They appear at European 

 tables under the appellation of " Guard-fish." 



Hemiramphus georgii, Cuv. and Val. 



Hemiramphus georgii, Cuv. and Val. XIX. 37, PI. 555. 



Toda pendek of the Malays. 



Young. Head above light greenish grey, minutely dotted with black, 

 particularly on the intermaxillaries and about the occiput ; back and 

 sides towards the lateral line pale greenish grey ; the margins of the 

 scales minutely dotted with black ; along each side a shining silvery 

 band, divided in the middle by the lateral line, and edged above by a 

 deep blue line ; abdomen faint silvery white ; opercles shining silvery 

 with steel-blue reflections ; lower jaw greenish grey with a black mar- 

 ginal membrane ; dorsal and caudal pale greenish grey, marginal half 

 dotted with black ; rest of the fins hyaline. Iris silvery ; orbital mar- 

 gin bluish black. 



D 15 or 16, C 15f, A 15, V 6, P 12, Br. XII ? 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang. 

 Bombay, Mahe*. 



The length of the head from the apex of the intermaxillaries is 5 J 

 in the distance to the point of the lower caudal lobe. The length of 

 the lower jaw from the apex to where the teeth of both sides meet, 

 varies individually from 3| to 3^ in the total length. The horizontal 

 diameter of the eye is ^ of the length of the head ; the distance across 

 the forehead exceeds by \ the diameter. The arch of the roof of the 

 orbits makes the middle of the forehead appear excavated. The depth 

 at occiput is \ of the length of the head. The band of teeth of the 

 intermaxillaries is very narrow at the angle of the mouth, gradually 

 widening towards the apex. The inner series of these teeth are some- 

 what longer than the rest. The lower jaw has but a single series of 

 minute teeth, behind which the anterior half of the mouth is lined by 

 a crescent-shaped black membrane. The length of the pectorals is § 

 of that of the head. The ventrals are placed opposite the posterior 

 third of the distance between the occiput and the root of the caudal. 

 The vertical diameter in front of the ventrals is a little more than J- the 

 length of the head. The caudal is but slightly cleft ; the lower lobe, 



