1300 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Dec. 



the root of the anterior and posterior margin. They resemble the 

 teeth of certain sharks, and are placed at intervals ; more than from 5 

 to 7 are seldom present. Of the three longest, in the middle of the 

 vomer, none exceeds ^ of the horizontal diameter of the eye ; their 

 breadth is \ of the length. Of the three single series on each branch 

 of the lower jaw the external and internal are equally minute and close. 

 The middle series are much larger, tricuspidate, compressed and tren- 

 chant. The tongue resembles that of talabon, but the upper lip 

 between the notch and the eye is fleshy, and covered with minute 

 pointed lobes of the skin, which resemble velvety teeth ; otherwise the 

 lips present no difference. The vertical diameter at the occiput equals 

 the distance from the muzzle to the eye, J of the length of the head, 

 of which the greatest diameter of the body is ^. The tail is more 

 tapering than in talabon so that the vertical diameter in front of the 

 caudal is from ^ to T J ¥ of the greatest diameter of the body. All the 

 fin-rays are double. The pectorals are rounded ; their length is \ of 

 the head. The dorsal commences more in front of the gill-opening 

 than in talabon, at a distance from the root of the upper pectoral ray 

 of from \ to § of the length of that fin. The longest dorsal rays are 

 i to ^ of the greatest vertical diameter of the body. The caudal is 

 so closely joined to the dorsal and anal, that the rays cannot be dis- 

 tinguished but by their position ; their length is about ■J- of the longest 

 dorsal. The anus opens at, or a little in front of, the end of the second 

 fifth of the total length. The fin commences immediately behind the 

 anus ; the longest rays scarcely exceed \ of the dorsal ones. 



The description ofMuruena bagio, a drawing in Buchanan's duplicate 

 series thus marked in his own hand-writing, and comparison of indivi- 

 duals from the Straits of Malacca and Calcutta prove the identity of 

 the species. Those from the latter locality are of a darker olive colour, 

 and not golden like those frequenting the sea. Buchanan has observed 

 the strong resemblance of bagio and Taloo Paum, Russell, No. XXXVI. 

 p. 25. In the not very explicit description of the latter, the upper 

 jaw is characterised as being "somewhat shorter than the lower," 

 which, if correct, militates against the identity of the two. Murcenesox 

 tricuspidata, McClelland, offers no character different from bagio, but 

 the dentition is incorrectly described. Such is also the case with 

 Murcenesox bengalensis, McClelland. Of Buchanan's drawing of Mil* 



