THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
65 
opposite the centre of the pectoral, then bending gradually downwards until opposite the origin 
of the second dorsal, from whence it proceeds direct to the centre of the caudal. 
Air vessel long and cylindrical. 
Colours—Greyish green above, white beneath. Fins greyish. Dorsal, caudal and anal tipped 
with white. Some cloudy bands pass from the back downwards towards the abdomen. Iris pale 
golden, dark above. 
Grows to four feet in length, and is sometimes eaten by Europeans, but is not esteemed. 
Habitat—Red Sea, Seas of India, Malaysia, China, and the Cape of Good Hope. 
* Sphyraena OBTUSATA. 
Sphyraena obtusata, Cuv. & Veil. iu . p. 350. Cantor , Catal. p. 24 *, Gunther , Catal. ii. 
p. 339. 
B. vii. D. 5 [ l. P.12. V. }. A. 1 C. 17. L. 1. 90. 
Length of head of total length. Height of body from ^ to jf of total length. 
Eyes—Oval, the horizontal diameter | of length of head. 
Lower jaw either deficient in, or with a very slight fleshy appendage at symphysis. Preopercle 
almost rectangular, with angle slightly produced. Opercle terminates in a single flat membraneous 
point. 
Teeth—Small but with three longer ones (the second, third and fourth) anteriorly on either 
side of palatine bones. v 
Fins—The ventrals are situated in front of the first dorsal, opposite the posterior half of the 
pectorals. The caudal is less deeply cleft than in the last species. 
Colours—The upper surface of the head and back of a dark greyish green, paler on the upper 
part of the sides, and clouded beneath the lateral line, the cheeks and the remainder of the sides 
of a pale silvery colour; the abdomen white ; pectorals and ventrals whitish; the other fins and 
the iris the same as in the S. jello. 
Grows to two feet six inches in length. 
Habitat—Red Sea, Seas of India, Mauritius, Malaysia, to Port Jackson in Eastern Australia. 
Fam. TRICHIURIDA1. 
Genus TEICHIUEUS, Linn. 
Branchiostegals, seven: pseudobranchiae. Body elongate, bandlike, compressed, with the tail 
tapering to a point. Eyes lateral. Muzzle elongate. Cleft of mouth wide. One dorsal extending along 
the whole length of the back : no caudal: ventrals thoracic, reduced to a pair of scales or absent: anal 
spines numerous, minute, sometimes concealed in the skin. Gill openings wide. Strong teeth in the jaws 
and on the palatine bones, none on the vomer. No scales. Air bladder present. Pyloric appendages 
numerous. 
Trichiurus malabaricus, Plate V. 
Triciiiurus Malabaricus, Day , Proc. Zool. Society, 1865, p. 20. 
B. vii. D. 132 P. 11. 
K 
