TEICHICETDjE. 133 



very concave ; second anal below the second dorsal but rather 

 shorter, its last ray prolonged. Caudal deeply forked. Scales 

 dermal productions lanceolate. Lateral line forms rather a strong 

 curve to above the middle of the pectoral fin, where it becomes 

 straight; two keels on "either side of the free portion of the tail, 

 the upper being more developed than the lower. Colour greyish 

 superiorly, becoming dull beneath, tip of first dorsal and end of 

 pectoral edged with black. 



Hab. (? East coast of Africa), seas of India, perhaps New Zealand. 

 The largest specimen I saw in the Madras Museum was 4 feet 

 4 inches in length. 



Family XV. TRICHIURID^E. 



Trichiurince , Swainson. 



Body elongate and compressed. Gill-openings wide. Eyes 

 lateral. Cleft of mouth deep. Teeth in jaws or palate, several 

 being strong and conical. Dorsal aud anal fins many-rayed ; fin- 

 lets sometimes occur behind the dorsal or anal fins ; ventrals, when 

 present, thoracic, but sometimes rudimentary ; caudal absent or 

 present. Scales, when present, rudimentary. No prominent 

 papilla behind the vent. Air-bladder present. Pyloric appen- 

 dages few or many. 



Uses. These fishes are held in various estimation in different 

 places. In Baluchistan and where salt is cheap no one will touch 

 them ; but along the coasts of India they are more esteemed, 

 mostly because being thin or ribbon-shaped they can be dried 

 without salting. Eussell observed that in his time they were 

 esteemed by the European soldiers. Jerdon states that "they 

 afford very delicate eating when fresh, though never brought to 

 the table of Europeans." 



Geographical Distribution. Tropical and subtropical seas. 



1. Genus TRICHIURUS, Linn. 



Syn. Enchelyopus, Klein ; Lepturm (Art.), Gill, and Eupleurogrammus, 

 Gill. 



Nus-sah-rue, Mugh ; Sawaryi, Tel. 



Branchiostegals seven ; pseudobranchiae. Body very elongate, 

 ribbon-shaped, tapering to a finless point at the tail. Teeth in 

 jaw and palatines, those in the premaxillaries arched and very 

 strong, lateral teeth lancet-shaped. A single long dorsal fin ex- 

 tending the whole length of the back ; ventrals, when present, in 

 the form of a pair of scales ; anal spines minute, sometimes con- 

 cealed beneath the skin. Scales absent. Pyloric appendages 

 numerous. 



Geographical Distribution. Same as the family. 



