252 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



they are moderately esteemed : in the " Fauna Japonica," their flesh if eaten fresh is said to cause diarrhoea, 

 therefore they are more commonly salted or dried. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Thynnus thunnina, D. 15 | xo?tt + ^h A. ^ + viii. Length of pectoral from 6^ to 6| in that of the 

 total to the end of the centre of caudal fin. Undulating oblique dark bands along the back. Seas of India to 

 the Malay Archipelago, also in the Mediterranean and tropical parts of the Atlantic. 



2. Thynnus pelanvys, D. 15 | \=l +viii> A. -^-\- viii. Length of pectoral 1/6 of that of the total to the 

 end of the centre of the caudal fin. Four or five concave longitudinal bands along the lower half of the sides 

 of the body. Indian and Atlantic Oceans. 



3. Thynnus macropterus, D. 14 | -^ -f ix, A. 12 -|- ix. Length of pectoral 3f in that of the total to the 

 end of the centre of the caudal fin. Grayish above, becoming silvery on the sides and beneath. Tips of 

 elongated dorsal and anal fins, also finlets, yellow. Seas of India to China. 



1. Thynnus thunnina, Plate LIV, fig. 6. 



Scomber quadripunctatus, Geof. Desc. Eg. Poissons, t. xxiv, f. 3. 



Thynnus thunnina, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 104, pi. 212 ; Temm. and Schleg. Fauna Japon. Poiss. p. 95, 

 pi. 48 ; Cuv. Reg. Anim. 111. Poiss. pi. 46, f. 1 ; Bleeker, Makr. p. 36, and Fische, Madag. p. 100 ; Guichen, 

 Exp. Alg. Poiss. p. 57 ; Gunther, Catal. ii, p. 364 ; Nilss. ^Efvers. Sven. Vet. Ak. Forh. 1864, p. 499, t. 5. 



Thynnus Brasiliensis, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 110. 



Thynnus affims, Cantor, Catal. p. 106 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 136 ; Gunther, Catal. ii, 

 p. 363. 



Suraly, Tarn. 



B. vii, D. 15 | To?TT + viii, P. 26, V. 1/5, A. & + viii, C. 17. 



Length of head 3^ to 3f , of pectoral 6j to 6|, of caudal lobes 6^, height of body 4-|- in the distance 

 between the snout and the centre of the posterior edge of the caudal fin. Eyes — diameter 6£ in length of head, 

 L| diameters from end of snout, and also apart. Head rather compressed, snout pointed : the maxilla reaches 

 to below the middle of the orbit. Vertical or posterior border of the preopercle short, its angle rounded, and 

 its lower edge at least twice as long as its vertical one. Teeth — in a single row in either jaw, also on vomer 

 and palate. Fins — first dorsal spine the broadest, equal in height to the second, or 1/2 as long as the head. 

 In some specimens the first dorsal is continued to within a short distance of the second, in others (as in the one 

 figured) the last few spines are nearly or quite hidden in the integument. Second dorsal highest anteriorly, 

 having a concave upper edge, its three spines are short and concealed by the skin : finlets rather large. Pectoral 

 rather short. Ventral having an oval or elongated lamella between the two fins and under which they can 

 be partially received. Anal similar to the second dorsal, commencing on the vertical behind that fin, its three 

 spines equally concealed. Caudal broad and pointed. Scales — forming a corselet anteriorly in three portions 

 separated by two deep emarginations. Superiorly the corselet embraces the two dorsal fins, and is divided from 

 its central portion by an emargination which reaches to below the eighth dorsal spine. The central portion of 

 the corselet is mostly beneath the pectoral fin, and the emargination which divides it from the inferior portion 

 extends to below the base of the pectoral. The lowest portion goes to below and behind the ventral fins. 

 Colours — bluish along the back having a number of undulating oblique dark bands, silvery below the lateral- 

 line ; sometimes black spots on the chest or breast. 



Jerdon observes that this fish is called Ghoori min, Tarn. 



Geographical distribution. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, where it is common during the cold 

 months ; also found in the Mediterranean, tropical parts of the Atlantic, and in Scandinavian seas. The 

 specimen figured is from Bombay, where it is often seen in the markets during the cold season up to two feet 

 in length. 



2. Thynnus pelamys. 



Scomber pelamys* Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 492; Bl. Schn. p. 23; Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 588. 



Scomber pelamides, Lacep. iii, p. 14 (pt.) ii, pi. xx, f. 2. 



Thynnus pelamys, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 113, pi. 214 ; Temm. and Schleg. Fauna Japon. Poiss. p. 96, pi. 49 ; 

 Richards. Ich. China, p. 267 ; Cuv. Reg. Anim . LI. Poiss. pi. 47, f. 2 ; Bleeker, Amboina, p. 41 ; Gunther, 

 Catal. ii, p. 365. 



The Bonito. 



B. vii, D. 15 | 3+viii, P. 27, V. 1/5, A. T yfvii. 



Length of head 2>\, of pectoral 6, height of body 3^ to 3-§- in the distance between the snout and the 

 centre of the posterior margin of the caudal fin. Eyes — diameter 1/5 to 1/6 of length of head, 1|- diameters 

 from end of snout. The vertical border of the preopercle is 3/5 the length of its horizontal margin. Fins — dorsal 

 spines rather weak, anteriorly 2/3 of height of body and nearly twice as high as the second dorsal. Pectoral 



* See also Bennett, Whaling Voyage, ii, p. 281 ; De la Roche, Ann. Mus. xiii, p. 315. VariUtta, Humboldt, Obs. Zool. ii, 

 p. 190. T. pelamys, Yarrell, Parnell, Couch. Thynnus vagans, Less. Voy. Coq. Zool. ii, p. 162, pi. 32. 



