182 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



the other over the groove for the posterior limb of the premaxillaries, there are five more. The central one is 

 mostly triangular, the largest, and at the upper surface : whilst along its free edge, sometimes below it, are two 

 more on either side. The existence of a lateral-lobe is entirely due to these orifices, and its size is in accordance 

 with their position. 



On the lower surface of the mandible beneath the symphysis is a single central barbel having a pore at its 

 base, occasionally it has one in front aud another behind it. On either side of its base laterally and rather 

 posteriorly are two more open orifices. 



Habitat. — From the East coast of Africa, through the seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 

 They are found in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, and some in the rivers of North and South America. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Umbrina macroptera, D. 10 | -j-s-Voj A. f , L. 1. 48, Case. pyl. 11. Barbel half as long as the eye. First 

 dorsal fin 2/5 the height of body. Scales cycloid on head and chest, elsewhere ctenoid. Grayish. Seas of India to 

 the Malay Archipelago. 



2. Vmbrina sinuata, D. 10 | ^rl-g-g, A. f-, L. 1. 44. Barbel one-quarter as long as the eye. First dorsal fin 

 1/2 height of body. Scales ctenoid except on snout, and below eyes. Dorsal, ventral, and anal fins nearly black ; 

 nine wide and sinuous brown bands from the back pass downwards and forwards. Sind. 



3. Umbrina Dussumieri, D. 10 | 2-*-ir> A. -f-, L. 1. 52. Barbel half as long as eye. First dorsal fin from 

 4/5 to as high as body. Scales cycloid. Usually dark coloured. Seas of India to China. 



4. Umbrina Russellii, D. 10 | -^-yyi A. f-, L. 1. 44. Barbel sometimes nearly as long as the eye. First 

 dorsal fin 4/9 of height of body. Scales ctenoid. Grayish, first dorsal tinged with black. Seas of India to the 

 Malay Archipelago. 



1. JJmbrina macroptera. 



Bleeker, Sumatra, p. 254; Giinther, Catal. ii., p. 279. 

 Scicena macropterus, Bleeker, Mem. Scien. 1874, p. 60. 

 B. vii, D. 10 | -3^, P. 17, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 17, L. 1. m, L. tr. 5-6/15, Gbc. pyl. 11. 



Length of head 1/4 to 2/9, of caudal 1/6, height of body 3^ to 4-l in the total length. Eyes — diameter 3f 

 to 4| in the length of head, 1|- to 1^- diameters from the end of snout, and 1 apart. Greatest width of the head 

 equals half its length, and its height equals its length excluding the snout. The snout rather inflated and 

 prominent. Cleft of mouth slightly oblique, the maxilla reaching to below the middle of the eye. The distance 

 between the eye and the maxilla equals 1 diameter of the orbit. Preopercle serrated, most coarsely so at its 

 angle : two opercular points. Three pores across the base of snout : outer fold of skin of snout laterally lobed, 

 having five pores along its free border. Barbel below the symphysis of the lower jaw nearly half the diameter of 

 the eye in length, having a deep pore on either side of its base and another rather more externally. Teeth — in 

 villiform rows in both jaws, the outer row in the front half of the premaxillaries being somewhat enlarged. Fins 

 — dorsal spines weak, the first very short, the second to the fourth about the same length and equal to 2/5 the 

 height of the body and more than twice as high as the rays. Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout. 

 Ventral reaches nearly half way to the anal fin. . Second anal spine of moderate strength, one-third shorter than 

 the first ray, and equal to 2-L in the height of the body. Caudal rather wedge-shaped. Scales — cycloid on the 

 head, chest, and as high as the base of the pectoral fin, the remainder ctenoid. Lateral-line — becomes straight 

 opposite the posterior end of the anal fin : the tubes give off a branch on either side which rarely subdivides. 

 Colours — grayish, becoming silvery on the abdomen, and everywhere covered with minute black dots, but so small 

 as not to interfere with the general light colour. Fins yellowish, dotted as the body. A dark mark on the opercle. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. I took a female, 8 inches long, with fully developed 

 ova in April, 1868, and found eleven cascal appendages. It is not uncommon at Madras. 



2. Umbrina sinuata, Plate XL VI, fig. 1. 



B. vii, D. 10 | w l^, P. 17, V. 1/5, A. f , C. 17, L. 1. f|, L. tr. 7/12. 



Length of head 4t, of caudal 1/5, height of body 3f in the total length. Eyes — diameter 3^ in length of 

 head, 3/4 of a diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. Greatest width of head equals 1/2 its length, and its 

 height equals its length excluding the snout. The distance between the eye and the upper jaw equals 3/4 of the 

 diameter of the orbit. Snout obtuse, swollen, and overhanging the jaws. Upper jaw overlapping the lower : 

 the maxilla reaching to below the middle of the eye. Preopercle serrated, most coarsely at its angle : two oper- 

 cular spines. Shoulder-flap serrated. Three pores in a transverse line, across the base of the snout, and five 

 more orifices along the free edge of the skin, a lateral lobe present on either side. Central barbel below the 

 symphysis of the lower jaw 1/4 the length of the orbit : two open pores on either side. Teeth — villiform in 

 both jaws, an outer enlarged row in the anterior half of the premaxillaries, whilst a few of those in the front 

 row of the lower jaw near the symphysis are larger than those posterior to them. Fins — dorsal spines weak, 

 the third to the fifth the longest, 1/4 higher than the rays and equal to the length of the head behind the 

 middle of the eyes. Pectoral as long as the head behind the anterior third of the eyes. Ventral reaches two- 

 thirds of the distance to the base of the anal. Second anal spine strong, equal to half the length of the head and 

 1/3 shorter than the first ray ; the length of the base of the fin equals 1/4 of that of the soft dorsal. Caudal 



