84 
PISCES ABDOMINALES. CYPRINUS. 
No. CCVII. 
Cyprinus? corpore elongato, lanceolato ; pinna ventralis radiis undecem; squamis insolita 
forma ad nuchas, pinnasque dorsi et ani. 
The Cyprinus with an elongate, lanceolate body ; eleven rays in the ventral fin ; scales 
of an unusual shape on the shoulder, and at the roots of the dorsal and the anal fin. 
Called by the Natives Palah Bontah. 
B. iv. D. 14. P. 16. V. 11. A. 9. C. 28. 
The body long, lanceolate, compressed, squamous, resplendent. Scales large, scallop-shape, striated, above the 
lateral line; but smaller and not striated under it. On the shoulder they are of a singular form: oblong, 
roundish, acuminate at both ends, and placed obliquely; smaller scales of a pear-shape, acuminate, the point 
a little curve, are found at the roots of the dorsal and anal fins, one to each ray. 
The head narrower than the body, conical, compressed, without scales. The front gently declivous, a little 
depressed, smooth. The mouth small, with very thin lips. The jaws rather short, hardly extractile; the 
superior longer, emarginate, covering the under, which is carinate; both are destitute of teeth. Tongue short, 
obtuse, smooth, fixed, sheathed. Palate smooth. Eyes very large, near the rostrum, orbicular, covered by the 
skin of the head. A nostril divided by a valve, between the rostrum and orbit. Branchial opercula rounded, 
resplendent, without scales; the branchial membranes joined, each having four rays; the aperture arched, 
lateral. 
The trunk. The back less arched than the abdomen; the sides convex but compressed; the diminution of 
the tail owing more to the form of the lower parts, than to the declension of the back. Branchiae pectinate. 
The lateral line bends down a little towards the pectoral fin, then straight and middle to the end. The anus 
remote. 
The fins. The dorsal nearly middle, sub-falcate ; points of the lobes setaceous. The pectoral very low, long, 
broad, pointed above; the ventral opposite to the dorsal: both have a large, lanceolate squama at their rise. 
The anal remote, somewhat falcate, like the dorsal; the caudal fin long and deeply bifid. 
The colour. The crown and front green, the face and opercula mother-of-pearl; the back changeable, dark 
green, and blue. The sides below the line, and the belly, mother-of-pearl. The dorsal and caudal fins darkish 
green, the others whitish. 
° Feet. Inches. 
The length from the rostrum to the tail l 3 
to the dorsal fin o 7 
to the edge of the opercula - - o 3 
of the caudal fin - - - - o 3 
REMARKS. 
This fish is frequently brought to the English tables under the name of Milk Mullet, but is much inferior 
to the Gray Mullet. 
