SPABID.E. 45 



D. 11-12/11-12. A. 3/8-10. L. 1.44-46. L. tr. 6/13. C.pyl.3. 



Length of head 4, height of body 2^ to 2f iu the total length. 

 Eyes diameter 3^ to 4 in length of head (in a young specimen 

 4^- inches long 3), 1^ to 1^ diam. from end of snout and also apart. 

 Dorsal profile much more convex than abdominal. Vertical margin 

 of preopercle a little roughened or even minutely serrated ; opercle 

 with a distinct spine. Teeth six incisors in front of either jaw, 

 the remainder of the teeth with rounded crowns, except occasionally 

 a few in outer row of upper jaw ; three or four rows in lower jaw, 

 four or five in upper, the largest being the last of the inner series. 

 Fins each alternate dorsal spine strongest on one side, the fourth 

 or fifth slightly the longest. Second anal spine much the longest 

 and strongest, being from ^ or a little more (in typical berda) 

 to | (in var. calamara) the length of the head ; caudal emarginate. 

 Air-bladder notched posteriorly. Colour in berda silvery grey. 

 Scales darkest at their bases. Usually a black spot behind opercle. 

 A black edge to dorsal interspinous membrane ; soft dorsal, caudal, 

 and anal with black edges; a dark band along anal fin. In speci- 

 mens from Sind brownish bands usually radiate from the eye. In 

 the variety calamara the fish is dark greyish, the scales with dark 

 edges, the fins black or edged with black. Some specimens are 

 much darker than others. 



Hab. Bed Sea, and seas of India to the Malay Archipelago 

 and beyond. I have taken specimens of 0. berda in Sind 30 inches 

 in length. The var. calamara is known as " black rock cod " in 

 the Madras Presidency, and is excellent eating ; it is common in 

 Malabar until July. 



784. (3.) Chrysophrys cuvieri. 



Chrysophrys cuvieri, Day, Fish. India, p. 141, pi. xxxiv, fig. 3, Siqtpl. 

 p. 788 (see synon.). 



D. 11/11-12. P. 15. A. 3/8-9. L. 1. 48. L. tr. 4-5/13. 

 Length of head 3^ to 4, height of body from 3 to 3^ (in the young) 

 in the total length. Eyes diameter 6 (to 4 in the young) in 

 length of head, 1^ to 2 diam. from end of snout, and 1^- apart. 

 Dorsal profile but little elevated in the adult. Opercle with 

 a distinct spine. Teeth four to six sharp, pointed and rather 

 conical incisors in front of either jaw, with villiform teeth 

 behind them ; a pointed and compressed row along outer side of 

 each jaw, the last few teeth of which are small and with rounded 

 crowns ; inside these are two rounded rows of small molars in the 

 lower and three in the upper jaw. Fins dorsal spines alternately 

 strongest on each side, the 4th or 5th the highest ; first anal spine 

 short, the second strong and longest ; caudal slightly lobed. 

 Scales seven rows between the eye and angle of the preopercle ; 

 the caudal with fine scales almost to its end. Colour silvery 

 grey, about eight lines radiate from eye and posterior edge of pre- 

 orbital ; each row of scales has a darkish band along its centre ; 

 dorsal and caudal fins black-tipped, a grey band along the middle 



