1849.] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. 1363 



extending beyond the upper third of the sides ; rest of the latter and 

 those of the head pale yellowish buff dotted with reddish brown ; 

 abdomen milkwhite ; fins transparent yellowish buff, minutely and spar- 

 ingly dotted with black. 



D 13, C 8f, A 10, P 17, Br. V. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang. 

 Indian Ocean. 



Total length : 5-f inch. 



The length of the head is a little less than £ of the total. The eye, 

 bordering on the profile, is situated a little nearer the gill-opening than 

 the muzzle, above the level of the latter and the pectorals ; its hori- 

 zontal diameter is \ of the head ; the distance across the forehead two 

 such diameters. Each nostril has two small papillular apertures. The 

 teeth and tongue are normal. The posterior part of the opercle is 

 naked terminating below in a sharp, downwards pointed angle. The 

 elongated rounded dorsal is situated a little behind the commencement 

 of the posterior third of the back ; the anterior four rays are undivided ; 

 the sixth and seventh, the longest, are £ of the length of the head, of 

 which the extent of the base is } ; the distance from the caudal is a 

 little less than | of the total length. The anal commences opposite the 

 third dorsal ray ; the three anterior rays are undivided ; the sixth, the 

 longest, equals the corresponding dorsal ; the posterior margin is ver- 

 tical ; the extent of the base is a little less than that of the dorsal ; the 

 distance from the caudal equals that of the latter. All three margins of 

 the caudal are slightly arched ; the length of the fin is about f of that 

 of the head. The pectorals are broad ; the posterior margin is a little 

 rounded ; the first upper ray, the longest, is contained 1\ times in the 

 head. The very fine hair-like lateral line appears to commence from 

 behind the occiput ; at first it follows closely the profile of the back, when 

 it descends obliquely to opposite the last dorsal ray, and then continues 

 in the middle of the tail to the caudal. The abdominal keel is so little 

 raised as scarcely to deserve the name ; it commences behind the throat 

 and rises in a low arch towards the pectoral fin, from whence it obliquely 

 descends to a little in front of the anal, and follows the profile of the 

 abdomen to the lower part of the root of the caudal. The spines are 

 short and not very strong, but crowded ; above they commence from 

 between the nostrils and terminate a little in front of the dorsal ; the 



