POLYNEMIDjE. ] 03 



luxury for the table, and commences to be taken in numbers about 

 June. It attains 9 inches in length. 



Col. Tickell observed that along the coasts of Burma this fish is 

 inferior as food to those in Bengal ; that it remains in estuaries 

 throughout the year except in the depth of the rains, and is always 

 of the same value as food, whereas in Bengal it asceuda rivers in 

 May and June, and is then in its primest condition. 



852. (2.) Polynemus heptadactylus. 



Polynemus heptadactylus, Cuv. $ Veil. H. N. Poiss. iii,p. 390; Day, 

 Fish. India, p. 177, pi. xlii, fig. 5 (see synon.). 



D.8 | 1/12-13. P.15 + vii. A.3/11-12. L.l.50-52. L.tr.5/11. C.p.4. 



Length of head 5, height of body 4 in the total length. Eyes 

 diameter 3f in length of head, | diam. from end of snout, and 

 1 apart. The maxilJa reaches to half a diameter behind the pos- 

 terior edge of the eye ; interorbital space nearly flat. Preopercle 

 strongly serrated, having a well-developed spine just above its 

 angle, which is rounded and produced. A spine on shoulder at 

 the commencement of the lateral line. Fins first dorsal spine 

 short, the third the longest, the last scarcely one third of its 

 height ; second dorsal highest anteriorly, upper edge of the fin 

 concave. Pectoral rays imbranched, the free appendages reach to 

 base of anal, the upper being the longest. Anal highest anteriorly, 

 where it equals the first dorsal, its lower edge straight. Caudal 

 deeply lobed. Air-bladder absent. Colour golden, pectoral nearly 

 black ; edge of first dorsal, upper edge of second dorsal, margins 

 of caudal, lower half of anal, and tip of ventral also black. 



II ah. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago ; attaining at least 

 6 inches in length. 



853. (3.) Polynemus xanthonemus. 



Polynemus xanthonemus, Cuv. fy Val. H. N. Poiss. vii, p. 517 ; Day, 

 Fish. India, p. 177 (see syncm.). 



D. 8 | 1/11. P. 15 + vi. A. 3/11-12. CSDC. pyl. 12. 



This fish is said to resemble P. sextarius more than P. sexfilis. 

 Fins six free pectoral rays extend beyond end of ventral. 

 Although the caudal lobes' are not more elongated than in 

 P. sextarius (one fifth of the total length), the fin is more deeply 

 cleft. Air-bladder absent. Colour back greenish, sides and 

 abdomen silvery ; the fins yellow with a black border, the free 

 rays are the same colour as the fins. 



'Hub. Seas of India to China; attaining at least 6 inches IB 

 length. I have not recognized this species in India. 



