FAMILY, XII— SCLENTD^E. 191 



terminating opposite the middle of the ventral fin. The third arising opposite the second and third 

 dorsal rays or between the two dorsal fins passes downwards parallel to the second band. The fourth com- 

 mences below the centre of the second dorsal and descends to the lateral line : the fifth taking the same course 

 is below the last few dorsal rays: occasionally there is a sixth over the free portion of the tail. Upper 

 two-thirds of first dorsal stained black, becoming more indistinct with age : caudal slightly tinged with black, 

 the other fins yellowish. 



Habitat. — Seas of India, attaining at least a foot in length, it is not considered good eating. 



B. No enlarged inner row of teeth in the lower jaw (Johnius). 



12. Sciaena Belengeri, Plate XLIV, fig. 5. 



Spams, Russell, Fish. Vizag. ii, p. 8, pi. cxi. 



Corvina Belengeri, Cuv. and Val. v, p. 120 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 303 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 54. 

 ? Corvina lobata, Cuv. and Val. v, p. 122, pi. cvii ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 304 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 55. 

 Corvina Kuhlii, Cuv. and Yal. v, p. 121 : Bleeker, Sciffin. p. 18, and Eniim. Pise. p. 35. 

 Johnius Belengeri, Cantor, Catal. p. 65 ; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 133 ; Bleeker, Memoire Scie'noid. 

 1874, p. 46. 



Tooroo Jcattelee, Tarn. 



B. vii, D. 9 | w ;^, P. 17, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 17, L. 1. _H_, L. tr. 6/14, Cebc. pyl. 5. 



Length of head 4| to 4|, of caudal 5i, height of body 1/4 to 4| in the total length. Eyes — diameter 3j- 

 to 3f in the length of head, nearly 1 diameter from end of snout, and 1 apart. Height of head equals its 

 length without the snout or behind front nostril, and its thickness equals from 1| to If in its length. Snout 

 rounded, overhanging the upper jaw which last is in advance of the lower. The maxilla reaches to below the 

 middle of the eye : cleft of mouth almost horizontal. Preopercle serrated, most coarsely so at its angle and 

 along its horizontal limb : two opercular spines. The distance between the eye and the upper edge of the maxilla 

 equals 1 diameter of the orbit. Snout with three open pores across its base : the free edge of the skin has one 

 central and a second opening on either side dividing it into four lobes : five rather small open pores on the lower 

 jaw. Teeth — villiform in both jaws with an outer row of enlarged and curved ones in the upper. Fins — dorsal fin 

 having as a rule only 9 spines, the first of which is very short : the second and third equal from 2/3 to 1/2 the 

 height of the body, and are 1/3 higher than the rays. Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout. 

 Ventral reaches half way to the anal, its outer ray prolonged. Second anal spine from a little above 1/2 to 2 3 

 the height of the first ray, and from 2 \ to 2/5 of that of the body : length of base of the fin equal to 1/4 of that 

 of the soft dorsal. Caudal wedge-shaped. Scales — ctenoid except on snout and below the eyes where they are 

 cycloid : they form a thick covering for the base of the soft dorsal fin. Lateral-line — curves to opposite the end 

 of anal where it becomes straight, at first it is indistinct : the tubes with one or two branches. Air-vessel — " each 

 side has ten branching processes, shorter, however, and apparently placed at a greater distance from each other 

 than in /. Dussumieri. The three posterior pairs are much longer than the preceding, the eighth' and ninth 

 bipartite, the tenth pair is undivided, pointed." — (Cantor.) Colours — dark-gray, dorsals, anal, and caudal almost 

 black : a dark blotch on the opercle : some specimens are much lighter. I have also a specimen 5 1 inches long- 

 marked as in S. lobata. 



Out of 16 specimens from the coasts of India I find none with more than 9 dorsal spines. Kner gives 

 8 cascal appendages, which are also said to exist in S. lobata, C. V., but I have never found above five in this 

 species. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond : is much more common on the Western 

 coast of India than in the Bay of Bengal. The specimen figured, life-size, is from Bombay. 



13. Sciasna semiluctuosa. 

 Corvina semiluctuosa, Cuv. and Val. v, p. 97, p. 106 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 132 ; Giinther, 

 Catal. ii, p. 304 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 53. 



Johnius semiluctuosa, Kner, Novara Fische, p. 134. 

 Sukhun, Belooch. 



B. vii, D. 10 | ^1^, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. f, C. 17, L. 1. t£\ts, L. tr. 8-9/25, Case. pyl. 7-8. 



Length of head 2/7 to 1/4, of caudal 1/6 to 1/7, height 'of body 2/7 to 1/4 of the total length. Eyes— 

 diameter 4a to 1/6 of length of head, 1 to 2 diameters from the end of snout, and 1 to 1| apart. Greatest 

 width of head equals 4/7 of its length, the height its length without the snout. Upper profile of head rather 

 convex : snout a little inflated. Upper jaw rather longer than the lower, the maxilla extends to below the 

 middle of the orbit. Edge of preopercle crenulated : two blunt opercular points. Three open pores across the 

 base of the snout, five more along the free margin of the skin, and a small lateral lobe. Five pores under 

 the symphysis of the lower jaw. Teeth — villiform in either jaw, with an enlarged, curved, external row in the 

 premaxillaries, and a few outer enlarged ones above the symphysis of the mandibles. Fins — dorsal spines weak, 

 the third the longest, being 1/3 higher than the rays and equal to 3/7 of the height of the body. Pectoral as 

 long as the head behind the middle of the eyes. Ventral reaches half way to the anal, its first ray prolonged. 

 Second anal spine strong, nearly 3/4 as high as the first ray and equal to 3/7 of the height of the body, 

 the length of the base of the fin equal to 4£ in that of the soft dorsal. Caudal wedge-shaped or rounded. 



