CABANGID.E. 169 



the young. Anterior portion of second dorsal highest, decreasing to 

 ninth ray, whence it remains the same height ; anterior rays ^-height 

 of body, upper edge of fin emarginate. Pectoral falcate, longer 

 than head, and reaching to beneath the eleventh dorsal ray. Second 

 free anal spine longest. Anal fin commences on the vertical below 

 fifth dorsal ray and is of similar form to second dorsal. Scales 

 small, some on cheeks, upper edge of opercle, and to above the hind 

 third of the eye, none on the interorbital crest. Body and chest 

 scaled. Lateral line about 106 scales, the first portion to below 

 the sixth or eighth dorsal ray forms a long curve, from thence it 

 proceeds direct to the centre of the tail ; in the first portion of its 

 straight course the plates are small, the last thirteen to fifteen are 

 pretty well developed and about ^ the height of the body. Colour 

 golden, with vertical black bands alternately narrow and wide, 

 from dorsal to ventral surface. The first wide band descends 

 obliquely through eye ; on the body are five more wide bands, the 

 first over the shoulder touching the hind edge of the opercle, and 

 the last over the free portion of the tail. Dorsal fin minutely 

 dotted with fine black points ; upper edge of soft dorsal grey, end 

 of caudal lobes black ; anal golden. Adults are said to become of 

 a uniform colour, a statement I have not been able to verify. 



Hob. Red Sea, throughout the seas of India to the Malay 

 Archipelago and Australia ; attaining at least 3 feet in length, and 

 at this size I have found the colours to be still distinct. 



2. Genus MICROPTERYX, Agass. 



Syn. Seriola, sp., Cuv. ; Chlorosconibrus, Gir. ; Mici'opus, Kner (not 

 Gray). 



Branchiostegals seven. Body compressed ; abdomen prominent 

 and trenchant. Gape of mouth rather small. Teeth feeble, present 

 on vomer and palatines. Two dorsal fins, the first with 7 spines, 

 and a recumbent, anteriorly directed one in front of the base of 

 the fin ; the second and the 'anal considerably more developed and 

 without finlets posteriorly ; two preanal spines. Scales small. 

 Lateral line smooth. Air-bladder bifurcated posteriorly. Pyloric 

 appendages in moderate numbers. 



934. (1.) Micropteryx chrysnms. 



Scomber chrysurus, Linn. Syst. Nat. \, p. 494. 



Micropteryx chrysurus, Day, Fish. India, p. 227 (see synon.). 



D. 7 | 1/26-28. P. 18. A. 2 | 1/25-26. Csec. pyl. 10-15. 



Length of head 4| to 5|, height of body 2| to 3 in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 3^ in length of head, 1 diam. from end of 

 snout, and | apart. Abdominal more convex than dorsal profile. 

 Cleft of mouth almost vertical, it commences opposite upper edge 

 of orbit ; the lower jaw the longer and its end forming part of the 

 dorsal profile when the mouth is closed ; the maxilla reaches to 



