FAMILY, II— SQUAMIPIKNES. 115 



greenish, spots on the body, most numerous along the back, and varying in size and tints. First dorsal brownish- 

 blue, having a few minute spots : second dorsal yellowish, with slight brown markings between the rays. 



In the very young, a bony ridge, ending in a spine, passes from the eye to above the opercle on to the 

 shoulder, it is serrated along the upper edge of the orbit and the lower edge of the preorbital. 



Dr. Gunther, Ann. and Mag. I. c. considers Scatophagus ornatus, C.V., the young of 8. argus, C.V. 



Habitat. — Indian Ocean, to China and Australia, attaining a foot in length : it enters backwaters and 

 rivers, but is a foul feeder,* and, so far as I have observed, is not in request as food. Hamilton Buchanan 

 remarks of it that " when newly caught it is a fish of great beauty, easy digestion, and excellent flavour : but 

 after death it soon becomes soft and strong tasted." Cantor states that at Pinang " it is eaten by the natives, 

 though many reject it on account of its reputed disgusting habits." In Ceylon, where it is termed Dewi 

 horaleyali, "it is generally esteemed, its flesh partaking the flavour of trout." — Bennett, I. c. 



Genus, 7 — Ephippus, Cuv. 



Selene, Lacep. ; Hardies, Cantor. 



Branchiostegals six : pseudobranchiai. Body much compressed and elevated. Snout short, the upper profile 

 parabolic. Preopercle without a spine. No teeth on the palate. Dorsal with eight or nine spines, several of which 

 are flexible and elongated, all are receivable into a groove at their base, interspinous membrane deeply cleft, and a deep 

 notch between the spinous and soft portions of the fin : three anal spines ; pectoral short. Scales of moderate or 

 small size, some over the soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. Air-vessel bifurcated anteriorly, and with two long horns 

 posteriorly. Pyloric appendages few. 



Geographical distribution. — Seas of India, to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



Ephippus orbis, D. xfr-fo, A. -^, L. 1. 42, L. tr. 7/15. Silvery. Seas of India, to the Malay Archipelago 

 and beyond. 



1. Ephippus orbis, Plate XXIX, fig. 4. 



Chcetodon orbis, Bloch, p. 1187, t. 202, f. 2 ; Gmel. Linn. 1244 ; Lacep. iv, pp. 458, 491 ; Bl. Schn. p. 232 ; 

 Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 339. 



Ephippus orbis, Cuv. Reg. Anim. ii, p. 191 ; Cuv. and Val. vii, p. 127 ; Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 213 ; 

 Richards. Ich. China, p. 245 ; Gunther, Catal. ii, p. 62 ; Day, Fish. Mai. p. 35. 



Ilarches orbis. Cantor, Catal. p. 160. 



Nulla torriti, Tarn. : Kol-lid-dah, Andam. 



B. vi, D. yfifo, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. &, C. 19, L. 1. 42, L. r. ff, L. tr. 7/15, Cajc. pyl. 2-4. 



Length of head 1/4 to 2/9, of caudal 1/5, height of body nearly 2/3 of the total length. Eyes — diameter 

 2J of the length of head, nearly 1 diameter from end of snout, and also apart. The upper profile is much elevated, 

 rising abruptly from the snout to the first dorsal fin : the abdominal contour is much less convex. The maxilla 

 extends to opposite the anterior margin of orbit. Preopercle narrow, finely denticulated on its vertical limb 

 and at its angle. Sub- and inter-opercles entire, opercle ending in two obtuse points connected by a shallow 

 emargination. Fins — dorsal spines moderately strong at their bases, interspinous membrane at first deeply 

 emarginated, but not that between the last spine and the soft rays : the third, fourth and fifth spines are 

 elongated and filiform at their extremities, especially the third. The anterior rays of the dorsal from the 3rd 

 are somewhat the longest : the fin rounded.f Ventral having its first ray elongated. Second anal spine the 

 strongest, equal to the seventh in the dorsal in length : anterior rays the longest. Ventral pointed. Caudal 

 slightly produced in the centre, and somewhat emarginate above and below. Scales — some over the bases of 

 the vertical fins. Air-vessel — thick, with one tendinous attachment on either side, having horns anteriorly 

 and two long bifurcations posteriorly. The intestines in this species are much convoluted, and possess two, 

 sometimes four, long pyloric appendages. May 11th, 1868, a female was taken in which the ova was well 

 developed. Colours — back and head greyish-green, sides and abdomen silvery shot with pink : fin membranes 

 diaphanous finely dotted with black, more especially in their marginal halves : rays bluish white. The young 

 have a dark grey orbital band, another over the nape, and two over the body : the fins are edged with grey. 



Habitat. — Seas of India and the Malay Archipelago, attaining at least 6 inches in length ; the one figured 

 is 5f inches long. 



Genus, 8 — Dkepane, Cuv. and Val. 



Sarpochirus, Cantor; Cryptosmilia, Cope. 



Branchiostegals, six : pseudobranchice. Body elevated and much compressed. Snotit slwrt. Preopercle 

 spineless. Palate edentulous. Dorsal having anteriorly a concealed spine directed forwards, and eight or nine spinous 



* Col. Tickell, MS. disputes this and asserts that he has eaten this fish taken some distance off the coast, of the most delicate 

 flavour. My reason for believing the natives to be correct as to its love for foul feeding is that I have opened many specimens, and those 

 taken from near inhabited localities had, as a rule, their stomachs full of ordure. 



f In two specimens 2 T 3 3 and 2£ inches in length respectively, a recumbent, anteriorly directed spine exists in front of the base 

 of the dorsal fin. • 



