2 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTERYGIT. 



First group. CHvETODOISTINA. 

 1. Genus CH33TODON, Linn. 



Syn. Rabdophorus and Microcanthus, Swains.; Meyaprotodon, Giiich.; 

 Sarothodus, Gill. 



Branchiostegals six. Body elevated and strongly compressed. 

 Snout of moderate length, or short. Preopercle entire, or slightly 

 serrated. Palate edentulous. Spinous and soft portions of the 

 dorsal fin not separated by a notch, the rays more numerous than 

 the spines, none of the latter elongate ; anal with three or four 

 spines. Scales of large, moderate, or small size. Lateral line 

 continuous, sometimes incomplete. Air-bladder may be constricted 

 or with horns. Intestines much convoluted.* 



Geographical Distribution. Tropical seas. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



A. Anal spines 4 ; a black eye-band and 



a caudal ocellus 1. C. plebeitu, p. 3. 



B. Anal spines 3 ; more than 10 dorsal 



spines. 



a. No vertical band through eye 2. C. xanthocephalns, p. 3. 



b. A black or dark vertical eye-band. 

 '. Two large black spots on back ; 



narrow vertical lines on sides .. 3. C.falcula, p. 4. 

 b'. Black lines on sides, descending 

 obliquely forwards in front, back- 

 wards behind, the twonot crossing. 

 No ocellus on soft dorsal, no dorsal 

 ray produced 4. C. vagabond**, p. 4. 



* Genus THOLICHTHYS, Giiuther. 



Dr. Giinther (A. M. N. H. ser. 4, i, 1868, p. 457) described and figured a 

 very small fisb, 11 millim. long, as a new Cyttoid genus, which he termed 

 Tholichthys. I obtained several (I think thirteen) larger specimens at Madras 

 V s inches long, which I described (P. Z. S. 1870, p. 087) as T. osseiis. One 

 was figured in the ' Fishes of India,' pi. xxvi, fig. 2. The following ia the 

 description ; the fish appears to me to belong to the Squamipennes, 



D. 12/25. P. 15. V. 1/5. A. 3/19-20. C. 17. L. 1. 41. 



Length of head nearly 3, height of body 2 in the total length. Eyes 

 diameter from 2 to 2 in the length of head. The angle of the preopercle is 

 much enlarged, reaching to almost below the origin of the pectoral fin ; the 

 shoulder scale and those over the shoulder-girdle considerably dilated. Fins 

 third dorsal spine the longest and strongest, the fin notched ; ventrals rounded ; 

 caudal almost square. Scales ctenoid. Lateral line ceases opposite the end 

 of the soft dorsal. 



In the very young, as figured by Dr. Giinther, the developments mentioned 

 above are greatly magnified, showing that atrophy occurs as age advances. 



