FAMILY, XXI— TRACHINID^E. 265 



to opposite about the seventh ray of anal fin, from whence it proceeds direct to the centre of the caudal. 

 Colours — greenish-yellow shot with purple. 



Habitat. — Coromandel coast of India, where it is caught in droves in October, Bay of Bengal as low as 

 Pondicherry,* and also in the Ganges, Burma, and Malay Archipelago. It attains at least 10 inches in length, 

 the one figured is from Calcutta. 



2. Sillago sihama, Plate LVII, fig. 3. 



Atherina sihama, Forsk. p. 70. 



Scicena Malabarica, Bl. Schn. p. 81, t. six. 



Platycephalus sihamus, Bl. Schn. p. 60. 



Sparus soring, Russell, h, p. 9, pi. 113. 



Sillago sihama, Riipp. Atl. Fische, p. 9, t. iii, f. 1, and N. W. Fische, p. 100 ; Gunther, Catal. ii, p. 243 ; 

 Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 47 ; Klunz. Verh, z. b. Ges. Wien, 1870, p. 818 ; Bleeker, Revis. Sill. 1874, p. 67. 



Sillago acuta, Cuv. and Val. iii, p. 400 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 131 ; Bleeker, Perc. p. 61 ; 

 Kner, Novara Fische, p. 128. 



Sillago erythrcea, Cuv. and Val. iii, p. 409. 



Sillago Malabarica, Cantor, Catal. p. 21 ; Bleeker, Bali, iii, p. 157. 



Soring, or Telia-soring, or Arriti-lri, Tel. : Culingah, Tarn. : Cucleerah, Mai. : Thol-o-dah, And. : Nga-rui, 

 Mugh. 



B. vi, D. 10-11 | ^oi^, P. 20, V. 1/5, A. ' T ^ TV , C. 19, L. 1. 70-74, L. tr. 5-6/12, Case, pyl. 3-4,f 

 Vert. 19/15. 



Length of head 1/4 to 2/9, of caudal 1/8 to 1/9, height of body 1/6 to 2/15 of the total length. Eyes— 

 diameter 4 to 5 in length of head,J 1-L to 2^ diameters from end of snout, and 1 to 1-J apart. Snout pointed. 

 Greatest width of head equals its height or half of its length. Upper jaw slightly the longer : the maxilla reaches 

 nearly half way to below the front edge of the eye. Vertical limb of preopercle serrated in its lower half. Opercle 

 with a well developed spine. Teeth — villiform in both jaws, the outer row sometimes a little enlarged : in a semi- 

 circular band on the vomer. Fins — dorsal spines of moderate strength, second and third subequal in length and 

 as high as the body below them : second dorsal highest anteriorly where it equals 4/7 of that of the body. Pectoral 

 as long as the head excluding the snout, and rather longer than the ventral. Anal below and similar to soft dorsal 

 but not so high. Caudal emarginate or obtuse. Scales — about six rows between the lateral-line and the last 

 dorsal spine. Air-vessel — extends posteriorly to opposite the first third of the anal fin. Colours — olive-green 

 along the back, becoming light on the abdomen, the whole having a brilliant purple reflection : a silvery 

 longitudinal band : minute black points on the dorsal and anal fins. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond, it ascends tidal rivers. It is 

 known as Whiting at Madras. Native women who have young babies are advised to eat it, as it is said to be 

 even more nourishing than shark's flesh. It attains a foot in length. M. Leschenault asserted that he had seen 

 them, although seldom, 3 feet long. The one figured is from Madras. 



3. Sillago maculata, Plate LVIII, fig. 4. 



Quoy and Gaim. Voy. Freyc. Zool. p. 261, pi. 53, f. 2 ; Cuv. and Val. iii, p. 411 ; Bleeker, Perc. p. 62, 

 and Revis. Sill. 1874, p. 71 ; Gunther, Catal. ii, p. 245 ; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 127. 



Sillago Bassensis, Cuv. and Val. iii, p. 412 ; Quoy and Gaim. Voy. Astrol. Poiss. p. 672, pi. i, f. 2. 



B. vi, D. 11 | „a^ P. 17, V. 1/5, A. ri^ C. 18, L. 1. 70, L. tr. 6/10. 



Length of head 3f , of caudal 7|, height of body 5| in the total length. Eyes — diameter 2| in length 

 of head, li diameters from end of snout, and 3/4 of a diameter apart. Greatest width of head equals 2J, and its 

 height li in its length. Snout rather pointed, upper jaw a little the longer : the maxilla reaches nearly half 

 way to below the front edge of the eye. Vertical limb of preopercle finely serrated : opercle with a small spine. 

 Teeth — villiform in either jaw, the outer row a little enlarged : also in a band on the vomer. Fins — dorsal 

 spines weak, third to fifth subequal in length, nearly as high as the body, and rather higher than the soft portion 

 of the fin. Pectoral as long as the head excluding the snout : ventral a little shorter. Anal sim il ar to second 

 dorsal. Caudal lobed. Colours — grayish along the back, becoming dull white on the abdomen : some irregular 

 blackish blotches along the sides, also a silvery median longitudinal band. Upper half of first dorsal black, 

 outer edges of second dorsal and anal dark, and a gray band along the upper third of soft dorsal. 



Habitat. — Andamans, Malay Archipelago to South-Bast Australia. The specimen figured (life-size) is 

 from the Andamans. It is said to attain 8 or 9 inches in length. 



* la Cuv. and Val. this species is termed " Peche Madame de Pondicherry." Jerdon observes, " I never saw a specimen of the 

 Sillago domino, at Madras, and the fishermen to whom I showed the drawing said they did not know it. Pondicherry is only SO miles 

 from Madras, and I doubt therefore if it was sent from thence; most probably it is more from the months of the Ganges." I have 

 taken it at Coconada but that is the lowest point in the Bay of Bengal where I have observed it. Some might however easily stray 

 down to Pondicherry. 



t Cuv. and Val. found 2 ctecal appendages, I have sometimes found 4, occasionally 3, 2 being short and 1 long. 



t Kespecting the diameter of the eye in the length of the head, I have found it 4$ at 4 inches ; 4 at 5 inches ; 4J at 

 5i inches ; 4^ at "\ inches ; 4 J at 9 inches ; 4£ at 9^ inches ; 5\ at 9 inches ; and 5 at 10 inches or the total length of the specimen. 



