THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
51 
The fifth which is opposite the last few rays of the second dorsal, takes the same course. Some¬ 
times there is a sixth over the caudal. The upper two-tliirds of the first dorsal is stained black, 
deepest in colour posteriorly, and terminating opposite its eighth spine. The upper half of the 
second dorsal is stained black along its whole extent. Caudal slightly tinged with black. The 
other fins yellowish. 
Not considered good eating; grows to one foot in length. 
Habitat—Seas of India. 
SCI^ENA DUSSUMIERI. 
Coryina Dussumieri, Cuv. & Val. v. p. 119. 
Johnius Dussumieri, Cantor , Catal. p. 64. 
Scuena Dussumieri, Gunther , Catal. ii. p. 292. 
D. 9 - 10 . | P. 18. V. 1 A. f. C. 15. L. 1. 52. L. tr. T % Vert. if. 
Length of head jb, of pectoral j 3 , of caudal j 2 3 , of base of first dorsal of base of second 
dorsal §, of base of anal ^ of the total length. Height of head T 2 T , of body nearly \, of first dorsal 
1, of second dorsal d,-, of ventral - 2 ?j , of anal of the total length. 
Eyes—Oval, horizontal diameter vertical diameter 1 of length of head, 1 diameter from end 
of snout, 1 diameter apart. 
Body elongated, the profile from vpntrals to anterior extremity of the first dorsal forms an 
obtuse angle. The dorsal profile is rather more convex than that of the abdomen. 
Head rounded anteriorly, upper jaw the longest, the snout projects over the mouth, the cleft 
of which is somewhat oblique. The posterior extremity of the maxilla reaches to opposite the 
posterior third of the orbit. Preopercle descends rather obliquely backwards, its angle rounded, 
its inferior limb at first very oblique, and not one half of the length of the posterior one : both are 
finely serrated. The opercle has a fine point, and ends in a soft extremity. Interorbital space 
convex. Posterior nostril vertically oval, close to centre of orbit, the anterior midway between 
snout and orbit. Five moderately sized pores under centre of mandibuke. 
Teeth—Villiform with an external row of crooked conical ones in the upper jaw, whilst in the 
lower the posterior row is the largest on each ramus. 
Fins—First dorsal slightly in advance of pectoral, and ventral slightly behind it. The second 
dorsal commences over the end of the pectoral. The anal arises under eleventh ray of dorsal. 
The last dorsal ray reaches as far as the base of the caudal; the distance from the root of the last 
anal ray to the base of the caudal equals the length of the caudal fin. Pectoral rounded. Ventral 
spine weak, ending in a thin point, and rather longer than the transverse diameter of the orbit. 
First dorsal forms a long triangle, first spine short, the second the longest in the fin; interspinous 
membrane deeply notched. Spine of second dorsal nearly half the length of the rays, which 
are about equal, except the last four or five which are shorter. First anal spine short, second 
moderately strong, and three fifths of length of first ray, and rather longer than the base of the fin : 
it equals the distance from the posterior extremity of orbit to anterior nostril: its first ray longest: 
the fin rounded. Caudal rounded. 
Scales—They cover the head, the jaws and the body; and their exposed portions are lozenge¬ 
shaped. A low band exists along the base of the first dorsal, and along the lower half of the 
second dorsal, whilst fine ones are continued on the latter fin as far as its external margin; the 
anal and caudal are equally scaled, and there are a few on the pectoral and the ventral. Above 
h 2 
