196 TELEOSTEI. ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



967. (1.) Lactarius delicatulus. (Fig. 67.) 



Scomber lactarius, Bl. Schn. Si/st. Ich. p. 31. 



Lactarius delicatulus, Cuv. $ Val. H. N. Poiss. ix, p. 238 ; Day, Fish. 



India, p. 245, pi. liii, fig. 2 (see synon.). 



Purmwah, Mai. ; Sudumu, Telugu (Gropalpur) ; Nga thong toony, 

 Arracan. 



D. 7-8 | 1/21-22. P. 17. A. 3/25-28. C. 17. L. 1. 74-80. C. p. 6. 



Length of head 4, height of body 3| in the total length. Eyes 

 diameter 3 in length of head, | to | diam. from end of snout, 

 and apart. Mouth oblique and large. Preorbital narrower than 

 the maxillary ; preopercle narrow, with its angle rounded. Opercle 

 ending in a soft point. Interorbital space convex. Occipital crest 

 well developed, the lateral ridges moderately so. Teeth a curved 

 canine on each side of the symphysis of the upper ja'w, and a 

 single lateral row ; a central canine (occasionally two) in lower 



Fig. 67. Lactarius delicatulus. 



jaw, and laterally a single row of curved teeth. Teeth on vomer, 

 palatines, and tongue. Fins first dorsal spine weak, the third 

 longest ; membrane rather deeply notched. Second dorsal highest 

 anteriorly, where it nearly equals the first dorsal. Anal similar 

 to second dorsal. In many specimens taken in Malabar, the anal 

 rays were invariably 26, but amongst several taken in Madras they 

 were in all instances 28. Caudal rather deeply lobed. Lateral 

 hne in short single tubes. Colour upper surface of head and 

 back as low as lateral line lead-colour ; a black spot on upper and 

 posterior part of opercle. Pins diaphanous, marginal halves of 

 dorsals and caudal minutely clotted with black, sometimes the base 

 is also dark. Iris silvery, upper portion darkish. 



Hob. Seas of India, Malay Archipelago, and China. Grows to 

 at least 10 inches in length, is eaten by the natives either fresh or 

 salted but is insipid. It appears in Malabar in shoals during the 

 months of February and March, but a few are present throughout 



