128 



Icthyological Gleanings in Madras. [No. 39, 



VT. Icthyological Gleanings in Madras. By T. C. Jerdon, Esq., 

 Surgeon, Madras Army. Communicated by Walter Elliot, 

 Esq., Revenue Commissioner. 



During a residence of nearly two years in Madras I made a large 

 collection of fish, and had rough drawings of them made by my 

 Artist, but not having leisure to describe them fully at that time 

 I regret to say, that a large portion of the collection has been 

 since destroyed, and I am therefore unable to give a full Catalogue 

 of all the species I procured. As however I identified at the time 

 many of them, especially such as had then been described in 

 Cuvier and Valencienne's great work on Fish, I think a brief notice 

 of them may be interesting, pending the publication by some one 

 who may have the opportunity of a more copious and elaborate 

 Catalogue similar to that of Dr. Cantor on Malayan Fishes. 



ORD : ACANTHOPTERYGII. 

 Fam. Percitjce. 



Lates Nobilis. Cuv. Kuduva. Tam. , Russell 131. 



This fish the " cock up" of the Bengalees is common in the back- 

 waters about Madras and abounds in the Fort Ditch. It grows to 

 a large size and is very excellent eating. 



Ambassis Cammersonii C. V. SelintanT. Abounds in the estuaries 

 about Madras. Is too small to be of value as an article of food. 



I possess a drawing of what appears to be another species of 

 this genus with a very long anal fin and a black spot on each side of 

 the tail ; it was about 3 inches long. 



Apogon Nigripinnis. C. V. Length 3 inches, olive brown above 

 —white beneath. D. V. & A., fins blackish. P. hyaline. C. dusky. 



Besides this species, the only one I identified, I have drawings 

 of three other species. One with a white line from above the or- 

 bit to behind 2nd dorsal, another from the opercule to middle of 

 tail, with a darker line between the two — fins reddish — it appears 

 allied, at all events, to A. Quadrifasciatus. The second is reddish 

 above with the edge of the scales darker; yellowish beneath with 



