256 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Fins — the spines of the first dorsal are weak, and end in thin filamentous points projecting beyond the 

 membrane, which is deeply notched. The second dorsal highest in front with its upper margin concave, it is 

 situated opposite the anal which it resembles. Ventral small : pectoral pointed : caudal with pointed lobes 

 each with a raised soft oblique ridge along its base. Lateral-line — at first in upper third of body, opposite the 

 twelfth or thirteenth dorsal ray it bends down, making a second strong curve from opposite the first to the 

 third pairs of finlets, beyond which it passes direct to the centre of the caudal where it ends in a soft raised 

 keel between the bases of either lobe. Coloiirs — bluish above, silvery below : first dorsal black to the end of the 

 seventh spine, behind which it is pure white, having a narrow black upper edge : basal half of pectoral 

 black. After death numerous vertical undulating lines and spots appear on the sides, in the specimen figured 

 (from Madras) they are very distinct, but during life they are rather indistinct. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond ; it attains 

 at least 4 feet in length. 



5. Cybium lineolatum. 



Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 170 ; Belanger, Voy. p. 366, pi. 2, f. 1 ; Griffith in Cuv. An. Kingdom, Pishes, 

 pi. 48, f. 1 ; Bleeker, Makr. p. 40 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 370. 



B. vii, D. 16 | ^ + ix, P. 21, V. 1/5, A. T 5 ¥ + x, C. 15. 



Length of head 1/5, of caudal 1/5, height of body 2/13 of the total length. Eyes— diameter 4^ in length 

 of head, 1^ apart. Teeth — about 18 in either jaw, triangular and strongly compressed, the central ones in the 

 lower being the largest : in a triangular pointed patch on the vomer, and in a band on the palatines. Fins — 

 spines of first dorsal slender. Pectorals 8a in the total length : ventrals 1/3 of pectoral. Lateral-line — at first 

 in upper fourth of body, descends gradually towards the end of the second dorsal fin until it arrives below the 

 fifth finlet. Colours —bluish above, silvery on the sides and beneath : several rows of elongated black blotches 

 on the body, three rows of them, like interrupted lines, being below the lateral-line. 



Cuv. and Val.'s specimen was in a bad state, and a difficulty occurred in counting the number of rays, 

 the species appears to somewhat resemble G. guttatum, C. V. (it has fewer teeth than in C. interruptum, C. V.) 

 but is stated to have less rays. Bleeker, Beng. en Hind. (1853, p. 42) places it as a synonym of G. interruptum, 

 C. V. ? Cantor's type specimen also appears to be G. interruption. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to ? Malay Archipelago. 



Genus, 5 — Elacate, Cuv. 



Meladerma, Swainson. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchiaz. Body fusiform : head depressed. Cleft of mouth of moderate depth. 

 Villiform teeth on the jaws, vomer, palatine bones, and tongue. The first dorsal reduced to a few free spines: the 

 second ivith many rays and somewhat similar to the anal : no finlets. Scales very small. No heel on the side of the 

 tail. Air-vessel absent. Pyloric appendages dendritical. 



The immature of this fish, as seen in the seas of India, has its central caudal rays exceedingly prolonged : 

 as age advances, as 8| inches, the fin becomes more obtuse, but still the central rays are rather the longest : in 

 a specimen 12 inches long that fin is obtuse, in another 11 inches long it is slightly emarginate : in the adult it 

 becomes concave or almost lobed, the lower being usually the longer. 



SYNOPSIS OP INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Elacate nigra, D. 8 | 28-36. A. ^s-w Brown, with two longitudinal black bands. Seas of India to 

 Japan and beyond. 



1. Elacate nigra, Plate LV, fig. 2. 



Scomber niger, Bloch, t. 337 ; Bl. Schn. p. 35. 



Gentronotus Gardenii, Lacep. iv, p. 357. 



Scomber peddah mottah, Russell, Pish. Vizag. ii, p. 39, pi. 153. 



Elacate Pondiceriana, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 329 ; Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 43, t. xii, f. 3 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. 

 and Sc. 1851, p. 139. 



Elacate motta, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 332 ; Bleeker, Makr. p. 42. 



Elacate Malabarica, Cuv. and Val. 1. c. ; Cuv. Reg. An. 111. Poiss. pi. 54, f. 2. 



Elacate bivittata, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 338 ; Temm. and Schleg. Fauna Japon. Poissons, p. 104, pi. 56 ; 

 Richards. Ich. China, p, 269 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 116 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 139. 



Meladerma nigerrima, Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 243. 



Elacate Canada, Holb. Ich. South Carol, p. 95, pi. 14, f. 1. 



Elacate nigra, Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 375 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 73 ; Klunz. Verh. z. b. Ges. Wien, 1871, 

 p. 445 ; Bleeker, Madagascar, p. 98, 



Cuddul verarl, Tarn. 



B. vii, D. 8 | 28-36, P. 21, V. 1/5, A. Tw ^, C. 17, Vert. 12/13. 



