6 S 
PISCES ABDOMINALES POLYNEMUS. 
No. CLXXXIV. 
Polynemus cauda longissirna , falcata , lobis squamosis , setiferis ; opercula serrato ; digitis 
quinque , primo prope anum extenso , ceteris gradatim decrescentibus . 
The Polynemus with a very long, falcate, tail, the lobes squamous, setiferous; a serrated 
operculum; five digiti, of which the longest reaches nearly to the anus, the others gra¬ 
dually decreasing in length. 
Called by the Natives Maga Booshee. 
8 I 1 2 I 
B. vii. D. 8. IT. P. 1 7. V.~6. A.T. H. C. 20. 
The body of this species differs in shape from the former. It is narrower at the waist or middle; the back rises 
towards the second dorsal fin, as the abdomen does towards the anal, and both fins are situated nearly opposite, 
where the body narrows towards the tail, which is more attenuated and rounder than in the last fish. The 
roots of both fins are covered with scales, and the caudal fin completely squamous. 
The head is rather longer, narrower, intirely squamous; the rostrum obtuse, but smaller, and more pro¬ 
minent ; the mouth, jaws, tongue, palate, eyes, and nostrils, as described in the last. The branchial opercula 
two-leaved; the first angular, serrated; the posterior oval, smooth: both are squamous; the membrane 
apparent; the aperture large. 
The trunk. The abdomen straight but convex, the tail smaller than in the former. The first half of the 
lateral line more declivous, the after part straight. The anus nearly middle. 
The Jins. The first dorsal consists of one short spine and seven declining spinous rays: the points of which 
extend above the membrane; the second dorsal is more distant from the first, but of the crescent-form; the 
pectoral low, acuminate above; the ventral as in the former; between the anus and anal fin, there are two 
small spines connected by a membrane ; the anal commences opposite to the middle of the dorsal, its spinous 
ray lying close on the ray next it; the caudal deeply divided, falcate, each lobe terminating in a setaceous 
thread an inch and a half in length; the body of the fin, as already mentioned, intirely covered with small 
scales. The length of the longest digitus at the pectoral fin, measured above four inches. 
The colour of the head and back, a dusky blue, or lead ; the sides and belly light gray, and as if sprinkled 
with black sand. The lips and rostrum reddish; the digiti, which in the last species were whitish, are here 
orange. The dorsal and caudal fins, dark; the lower part of the caudal, as also the pectoral, almost black; the 
ventral and anal fins, light colour. 
Length of the subject, one foot four inches. 
REMARKS. 
It may be remarked in this as well as in the former species, that the spinous rays of the dorsal and anal fins, 
lie so close on the next rays as to shew the points only. 
Both fishes, especially the first, are esteemed for the table, and are known to the English under the name 
of Rowball. 
