1400 Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. [Dec. 



duals broadly edged with silvery white. The spots generally circular, 

 some oval, others confluent. Beneath whitish. Iris narrow golden ; 

 pupil triangular, with the apex downwards, black ; margins of the spira- 

 cles flesh-coloured. 



Habit. — Sea of Pinang. 



Tranquebar. 

 Total length : 1 ft. 6 inch. 



The disk has a pentagonal appearance and is but very little broader 

 than long. The tail is slightly longer than the body. In very 

 young individuals it is a little shorter than the body. The ventrals 

 are not covered by the pectorals ; their angles are acute, their anterior 

 margin slightly concave. The male appendages project but slightly 

 beyond the inner margin of the ventrals. The anterior dorsal com- 

 mences opposite the termination of the ventrals. In the young the 

 apex forms an acute angle, later it becomes rounded. The extent of 

 the base is \ of the length of the anterior margin. The distance 

 between the two dorsals equals that between the posterior and the 

 caudal. Both dorsals are of similar form and size. The posterior 

 margin of the caudal is very convex. The following dimensions were 

 taken from a female, measuring 11 \ inches in length. 



From the snout to the mouth, 1-| inch. 



From the mouth to the anus, 3f- 



From the anus to the point of the caudal, 5f 



Length of the disk, 5f 



Breadth of the disk, 5f 



Large individuals are at Pinang of rare occurrence, but younger, 

 from 3 to 6 inches in length, are taken at all seasons. In or out of 

 water they may be handled with impunity. Several species of fishes 

 introduced in a jar filled with sea-water and containing a large Narcine 

 shewed no consequences from the contact, nor did they appear to 

 avoid the Torpedo. The food of this and the other Malayan Torpe- 

 dinidce consists of Crustacea and Testacea. 



J$. With one dorsal fin. 



Gen. Astrape, Miiller und Henle, 1837. 

 Snout short without keel, generally similar to that of Narcine. 

 Frsenulum of the nasal valve with a cylindrical cartilage. Teeth 



