1849.] 



Fishes of Southern India, 



S45 



Gen. Alosa. Cuv. 



Mouth moderately large, upper lip notched ; dorsal medial ; anal 

 moderately long. 



Alosa palasah. Cuv. Probably the same as Clupanodon ilisha, 

 Buch., and Clupea Indica of Gray, Hardwickes' 111. Ind. Zool. 



Palasah, Russell, 198. 



I have every reason to believe that this is the so called sable fish 

 of Trichinopoly, which ascends the Cavery during the freshes for the 

 purpose of spawning, and is caught for the sake of its roe, which 

 is highly esteemed. 



It is called Oolan-min at Madras. 



Another small clupeoid fish is sometimes taken in ponds and 

 ditches in Malabar during the monsoon. It is closely allied to the 

 Clupanodon chachunda of Buch, Hamilton. 



I have no specimen at present to describe it from. 



Fam. Esocidce. 



Dorsal fin single, near the tail; mouth large; teeth numerous, 

 large, acute. 



Gen. Belone. 



Body linear sub- cylindrical ; jaws excessively long, pointed, with 

 acute teeth; scales minute, 



Belone Graii. Sykes. 



Tail nearly square ; head is two and a half times in the body ; dor- 

 sal fin about 6 times in the length — D. 16, A . 17 — Pale green above, 

 with a tinge of fine red on the back, silvery beneath, caudal reddisli 

 — length up to 14 inches. 



This fish is found in most of the rivers of the west coast up to the 

 base of the mountains. It is very voracious, and devours large quan- 

 tities of the Httle Aplocheili. I cannot be certain if it is Sykes' species 

 or not. He says of his, " D. 16, A. 16 — closely allied to E. cancila 

 of Buchanan, Hamilton." 



Oed. Apodes. 

 Y^xn, Murcenidce. 

 Body serpent like ; scales very minute, enveloped in a mucouf? 

 skin ; no ventral ; branchial spiracles two, lateral. 



