CARANGID^E. 195 



3 in the total length. Eyes diameter 2| in length of head, 

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

 profiles about equally convex. Supraorbital edge serrated, some- 

 times coarsely so, two spines above front third of each eye. In- 

 ferior surface of mandible scarcely concave. Lower margin of 

 preopercle rather strongly serrated. Teeth a row of pointed ones 

 in the upper jaw, having two canines in the median line ; villiform 

 in the lower jaw, with an outer row of curved and pointed ones, 

 which increase in size anteriorly, becoming like canines on either 

 side of the symphysis. Fins dorsal spines weak, second and 

 third about the same length, and from | to ^ height of body. 

 Ventral reaches |- of way to anal. Second anal spine stronger 

 than those of the dorsal, and about 5 height of body, the third 

 rough anteriorly in its lower third. Caudal forked. Scales over 

 body, none on breast and chest. Lateral line in single tubes, 

 ceasing opposite last third of soft dorsal. Colour greyish along 

 back, silvery on sides and beneath, zigzag irregular bluish bands 

 descend from back to as low as lateral line. Spinous dorsal fin 

 with brown spots, especially between second and third spines ; 

 axilla usually brown or black. The young have a silvery band 

 along the sides. 



Bob. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago ; attaining 

 at least 6 inches in length. Very common along all the coasts of 

 India as far as Sind. 



966. (3.) Gazza argentaria. 



Zeus argentarius, Bl. Schn. Syst. Ich. p. 96. 



Gazza argentaria, Day, Fish. India, Suppl 1888, p. 790. 



Psani pare, Tamil. 



Length of head 3| to 4, of caudal fin 5, height of body 2| to 2| in 

 the total length. Eye diameter 3 in length of head, ^ diam. from 

 end of snout. Teeth canines of moderate size. Fins first dorsal 

 higher than second. Colour body greyish, with some dark lines 

 along the rows of scales ; light-coloured on the chest ; dorsal, anal, 

 and ventral fins nearly black, caudal of a dull yellow. 



Hab. Eed Sea, Madras to the Malay Archipelago. 



13. Genus LACTARIUS, Cuv. & Val. 



Branchiostegals seven ; pseudobranchiac. Body oblong, com- 

 pressed. Eyes lateral. Cleft of mouth deep, with the lower jaw 

 prominent. Preopercular margins entire. Teeth in jaws small, 

 with one or two pairs of strong canines. Two dorsal fins, the 

 first with seven or eight feeble spines, second and the anal with 

 many rays ; anal with three spines joined to the remainder ot the 

 fin. Scales cycloid, of moderate size, some over the second dorsal 

 and anal fins. Lateral line continuous, unarmed. Air-blaUd 

 bifurcated both anteriorly and posteriorly. Pylonc appenc 



Geographical Distribution. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



