16 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
B. vi. D. 7 I toItt- P. 15. V. A. A. L. 1. 30. L. tr. A_ 
Length of head A, of pectoral §, of caudal of base of dorsals ^, of base of anal of total 
length. Height of head ? p of body f, of first dorsal of second dorsal jt, of ventral 1, of anal 
of total length. 
Eyes—Diameter ^ length of head, f of a diameter from end of snout, rather more than J a 
diameter apart. 
Maxilla extends to beneath the anterior third of orbit. Nostrils comparatively large. 
Preorbital with strong denticulations passing downwards and slightly backwards, and being 
largest posteriorly. Preopercle, vertical limb finely denticulated, inferior limb with its double 
edge denticulated, the posterior teething the coarsest, with the exception of one large tooth 
at the anterior angle. Inferior margin of interopercle strongly denticulated; thus with the 
double denticulated edge of the preopercle there are three parallel lines of teeth in this species. 
Subopercle entire. One sharp spine directed backwards at posterior superior angle of orbit, and 
two or three more along its posterior edge, separated from the first by a notch. 
Teeth—Villiform, small, equal, on jaws, vomer, and palatines. * 
Fins—Dorsal spines moderately strong, curved slightly upwards in them external third ; the 
second anal spine is also curved slightly forwards. Second spine of first dorsal very slightly the 
longest, its last spine half the length of that of the second dorsal. Ventral spine comparatively 
long, and reaches close to the first anal spine, whilst its soft rays extend as far as the third anal 
spine. First anal spine one-third the length of the second and third, which are equal, the second 
being slightly the strongest. First dorsal triangular. Pectoral rather pointed, and reaching as far 
as third or fourth anal ray. Ventral triangular. Caudal deeply forked. 
Scales—Hardly deciduous. Lateral fine convex to opposite termination of second dorsal, 
where it becomes horizontal. 
Colours—Back greyish green with minute brown points, abdomen silvery, with a silver lon¬ 
gitudinal band, and having pinkish reflections; opercles silvery, fins greyish, first and second spine 
of first dorsal with a blackish anterior margin : fine grey points on fin membrane more especially 
between second and third spines. Caudal minutely spotted. Eye silvery. 
Does not appear to exceed five inches in length. 
Habitat—Bivers and estuaries of Malabar, Bengal and Malaysia. 
Ambassis Dussumieri. 
Ambassis Dussumieri, Cuv. & Val. ii. p. 181, vi. p. 503, ix. p. 431 ; Gunther , i. p. 225. 
Chanda Dussumieri, Cantor , Catal. p. 6. 
B. vi. D. 7 | P. 15. V. 1. A. gAo- C. 17. L. 1. 27. L. tr. f. 
Length of head of pectoral of caudal of base of dorsals, f, of base of anal ^ of total 
length. Height of head }-, of body D of first dorsal 1, of second dorsal 1, of ventral of anal j of 
total length. 
Eyes—Diameter not quite A of length of head, 1, a diameter from end of snout, and the same 
distance apart. 
Maxilla extends to beneath the anterior margin of orbit, its extremity being pointed. 
Nostrils rather large. Preorbital with six strong denticulations directed downwards and 
a little backwards on its anterior margin, whilst its posterior edge next to the orbit is also 
serrated. Preopercle, vertical limb entire, inferior limb with a double denticulated edge, the 
anterior having the largest teeth, the posterior one of which is large and triangular. Sub- 
