FAMILY, XII— SCLEMDiE. 193- 



attachments. Colours — purplish -brown due to numerous fine dots, but becoming golden in the lower fourth of 

 the body, its lateral-line is generally lighter than the contiguous parts. Head glossed with purple. First dorsal 

 fin dark, the others with gray edges. 



Jerdon observes, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 132, that this fish is more abundant on the Malabar coast 

 than at Madras, but I find on referring to Sir W. Elliot's drawings that he has marked one as Corvina carutta, 

 and which he observes equals Russell's cxi. or S. Belengeri. 



I have two specimens from the Malabar coast that appear to be Corvina carouna, Cuv. and Val. (v. p. 125). 

 They are gray and have merely an indistinct trace of the light line along the lateral-line, so well marked in 

 S. carutta. Irrespective of this however, all the scales (excejst those on the snout and below the eyes) are 

 strongly ctenoid, offering a marked contrast to carutta, and the second anal spine is from 1/4 to 4^ in the length 

 of the head. Otherwise I am unable to discover any difference. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, it attains nearly a foot in length. The specimen 

 figured is 8 inches in length, and from Madras. 



16. Sciasna osseus, Plate XL VI, fig. 3. 

 B. vii, D. 10 | it, P. 18, V. 1/5. A. f, C. 17,_L. l.iL. tr. 6/15. 



Length of head 4J-, of caudal 1/6, height of body 4a in the total length. Eyes — diameter 1/5 of length of 

 head, lj diameters from end of snout, and If apart. The greatest width of the head equals its post-orbital length ; 

 its height equals its length behind the front nostril. Snout obtuse, not inflated, the dorsal profile above the eyes 

 is a little concave : cleft of mouth oblique, the anterior extremity of the lower jaw being on a level with the 

 lower edge of the eye. The maxilla reaches to below the hind edge of the orbit; the upper jaw scarcely overlaps 

 the lower. The distance from the eye to the upper jaw nearly equals one diameter of the orbit. Preopercle 

 rather strongly denticulated in its whole extent. Two opercular spines. Shoulder-flap serrated. Three small 

 pores across the snout, and five along the free edge of the skin but no lateral lobe. Two small central pores 

 below the symphysis of the lower jaw and two more large ones laterally and posteriorly. Teeth — villiform in 

 both jaws with an outer enlarged row in the premaxillaries. Fins — first dorsal spine very short, the second and 

 third of equal length, the fourth the longest but only slightly higher than the posterior rays, and 2^ in that of 

 the body. Pectoral as long as the head behind the middle of the eyes. Ventral reaches half way to the vent. 

 Second anal spine weak, about 1/2 as long as the first ray and equal to 1/4 of the length of the head. Caudal wedge- 

 shaped. Scales — cycloid on head and chest, ctenoid on the body. Lateral-line — forms a well marked curve to 

 above the front edge of the anal fin : tubes very distinct, and giving off one short branch on either side. Colours 

 — brownish- gray or stone-coloured along the back, becoming dull white on the sides and below. Opercle bluish- 

 black. First dorsal black in its upper half, outer edges of pectoral, ventral, anal, and caudal gray. 



Habitat. — Malabar coast of India, from whence the specimen figured (7 inches long) was procured. 



Genus, 3 — Scmnoides,* Blyth (January, 1860). 

 Bola, pt. Ham. Buch. ; Sciosna, sp. Cuv. and Val. ; CollicMhys, Giinther (June, 1860) ; Hemisciosna, 

 Bleeker; Plagioscion, Gill. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchice. Eyes small. Head broad, with its upper surface very convex. 

 Cleft of mouth oblique and deep. Teeth villiform in the upper jaw, with an outer distantly placed row of curved 

 conical ones in the premaxillaries, becoming canine-UJee anteriorly : an inner row enlarged and conical in the lower 

 jaiv, with an outer series of villiform ones. No barbels. Two dorsal fins, united at their bases, the second with many 

 rays : two weak anal spines : caudal wedge-shaped. Scales small, cycloid or ctenoid. Air-vessel generally having a 

 horn-like process on either side, and'unt^, many lateral appendages. Pyloric appendages few or in moderate numbers. 



Uses. — Good as food, its air-vessel used for isinglass. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Scixnoides pama, D. 10 | -j^g-, A. ■§-, L. 1. -|f, Case. pyl. 9. Brownish superiorly, light below : fins 

 edged with gray. Bay of Bengal, entering estuaries and rivers. 



2. Soiainoides microdon, D. 8-9 | ^-, A. \, L. 1. ff , Case. pyl. 6. Brownish superiorly, becoming light 

 beneath. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



3. Sciamoides biauritus, D. 9 | -2T--5-3, A. f-, L. 1. y^ 5 , Case. pyl. 13. Brownish superiorly, golden below. 

 Estuaries of India to the Malay Archipelago and China. 



4. Scicenoides brunneus, D. 9 | sr-^s, A. f, L. 1. iff. Gray, with blackish fins. Bombay. 



1. Scisenoides pama. 

 Bola pama, Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. 79, 368, pi. 32, fig. 26. 



* Blyth gives as the species forming his Genus, 1. Scicenoides liauritxis : S.Sc.pama: 3. Sc. Hardwickifc=S. $ama, yourg: 

 4. Sc. (?) asper. 



o „ 



