CARANGIDJE. 17Q 



Length of head 5 to 5f , of caudal fin 4 to 4|, height of body 3| 

 to 3| in the total length. Eyes diameter 3| to 3| in length of 

 head, about 1 diam. from end of snout, and 1| apart. Dorsal and 

 abdominal profiles abont equally convex, snout obtuse. Central 

 longitudinal crest on the head well developed. Fins spines of 

 first dorsal of moderate strength; anterior ra3 r s of second dorsal 

 prolonged, | to | as long as base of fin, and similar to those of the 

 anal. Ventrals as long as postorbital portion of head in adults ; 

 rather longer in young, they reach above halfway to anal in young, 

 but are not quite so long in adults. Caudal deeply forked. Scales 

 in irregular rows, small. Lateral line nearly straight. Colour 

 greenish, dashed with yellow on the back, becoming more golden 

 on the sides and beneath ; usually a dark blotch at upper margin 

 of opercle and commencement of lateral line. From 3 to 5 large, 

 dull, rounded blotches a little distance above the lateral line; these 

 often disappear after death ; they are much darker and more persis- 

 tent in the adult than in the young ; elongated portions of dorsal 

 and anal fins, also lobes of caudal, orange stained with black. 



Hob. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and Australasia. 

 Not uncommon at Madras, my largest specimen being 22 inches 

 long, from Canara. 



945. (3.) Trachynotus ovatus. 



Gasterosteus ovatus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 490. 

 Trachynotus ovatus, Day, Fish. India, p. 234, pi. li B, fig. 2, Suppl. 

 p. 790 (see synon.) 



KutdttitaJca, Marathi ; Kootili, Tamil ; Rocjana, Arracan. 

 D. 6-7 | 1/18-21. P. 17. A. 2 | 1/16-19. C. 17. Crcc. pyl. 12. 



Length of head 4|, of caudal fin 4, height of body 2 to 2| in the 

 total length. Eyes in the middle of height of head, diameter 3 

 to 4| in length of head, | diam. (in the young) to 1^ (in the adult) 

 from end of snout, and 1| apart. Body elliptical and compressed, 

 snout very obtuse; a considerable rise to the first dorsal, but 

 superior and inferior profiles of body equally convex. Mouth oblique. 

 Teeth in young specimens a band of card-like teeth in both jaws, 

 but as the fish increases in si/e (eight inches in length) they dis- 

 appear, as well as those on the vomer and palatine bones. Fins 

 second dorsal having it s first ray highest, | height of body. Ventrals 

 in the young as long as the head behind the middle of the eyes. 

 Caudal with deep lobes. Scales minute. Lateral line at first 

 very slightly ascends, and then forms a slight curve to opposite 

 the eleventh dorsal ray, whence it proceeds straight to centre of 

 caudal. Colour more or less golden ; the upper half of first five 

 dorsal rays tipped with black, and the fin generally dotted with 

 minute black points; sometimes the anal and caudal are similarly 

 marked ; first three quarters of pectoral grey, last fourth yellow. 



Hab. Indian and Atlantic Oceans; attaining at least 20 inches 

 in length. This fish salts well, but when fresh is dry and insipid. 



N2 



