115 



men ; first dorsal blackish, especially in its outer half, the other 

 fins grey. 



Hob. Seas of India ; attaining several feet in length. 



McClelland, in his paper on isinglass (Calc. Journ. N. H. iii, 

 p. 173), refers the Soor (spelt $m')fish from which the sounds are 

 collected, at Karachi, to a Polynemus ; but it is a Scicena, and either 

 the species described above or S. ylaucus. 



867. (5.) Sciaena cuja. 



Bola cuja, Ham. Such. Fish. Ganges, pp. 81, 309, pi. xii, fig. 27. 

 Sciaeca cuja, Day, Fish. India, p. 187 (see synon.). 

 Nga-w6-youny, Arracan ; Danteena, Cbittagong. 



D. 10 | 1/27-29. P. 17. A. 2/7. C. 17. L.r. 60/50/54. L. tr. 7/16. 



Length of head 4 to 41, height of body 31 to 4 in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 5" in length of head, 1 diam. from end of 

 snout and also apart. Profile along upper surface of head some- 

 what concave ; snout not swollen ; jaws of nearly the same length 

 antsriorly, or the lower slightly the longer. Greatest width of 

 head equals ^ of its length. Cleft of mouth somewhat oblique. The 

 distance between the eye and the upper jaw is f diameter of orbit. 

 Preopercle scarcely denticulated; two opercular spines. Three 

 open pores across base of snout, and five large ones along edge of 

 free portion of skin, but no lateral lobe. One central pore below 

 symphysis of lower jaw, and two large ones on either side posterior 

 to it. Teeth the inner row in the lower jaw is slightly larger 

 than the villiform bands. Fins dorsal spines strong, second to 

 fourth longest, one third higher than rays, and equal to length of 

 postorbital portion of head. Hecond anal spine very strong, nearly 

 or quite as long as first ray and equalling length of head behind 

 middle of eyes. Caudal rounded. Scales cycloid on the bead, 

 ctenoid on the body, the basal third of the soft dorsal and anal 

 densely scaled ; those on summit of head to end of occiput very 

 much smaller than those on the body. Lateral line the tubes 

 divide posteriorly into many branches. Colour oblique dark 

 streaks, following the rows of scales, above the lateral line, hori- 

 zontal ones below it. Both dorsals with two or three rows of 

 black spots. 



Hob. Estuaries of the Ganges, Burma and Japan ; very common 

 in the cold season at Akyab. This species attains to several feet 

 in length. 



868. (6.) Sciaena coitor. (Fig. 49.) 



Bola coitor, Ham. Bach. Fish. Ganges, pp. 75 and 368, pi. 27, fig. 24. 

 Scisena coitor, Day, Fish. India, p. 187, pi. xliv, fig. 3 (see synon.). 

 Botahl and Putteriki, Ooriah ; Nga-ta-dun and Nga-pok-thin, Burin. 

 1). 10 | 1-2/26-29. A. 2/7. L. r. 58/50-55/52-56. L. tr. 5-6/15. 

 Length of head 4 to 4|, height of body 4 to 4| in^ the total 



