84 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
caudal §• of total length. Height of body of head j, of first dorsal ^ of second dorsal y 1 ^, of 
ventral yy, of anal y T of total length. 
Eyes—Horizontal diameter vertical diameter ^ of length of head, f of a diameter apart, and 
the same distance from end of snout. A membraneous curtain extends ^ across either side of eye. 
Lower jaw slightly the longest, intermaxillaries moderately protrusible. The superior 
maxillary extends to beneath the anterior margin of the orbit. Preorbital small, with two 
slightly raised straight lines on its posterior part. Preopercle oblique, angle rounded, inferior 
margin convex. Subopercle large and entire. 
Teeth—Two to three bands of fine villiform teeth in intermaxillaries, and superior half of 
upper jaw, the same also exist in the lower jaw. A triangular space—convex anteriorly—of 
rather sharp teeth on vomer, and commencing from its posterior margin a straight single row of 
sharp teeth, the two thus covering a somewhat T-shaped spot. A fine row on the palatine bones. 
Pins—Pectorals rather in advance of the origins of dorsal and ventral. Anal arises under 
second dorsal. First dorsal triangular: second dorsal highest in front, where it exceeds 
that of the first dorsal. Pectoral falciform, reaching to nearly opposite anal. Caudal deeply lobed. 
Dorsal spines weak, third slightly the longest. First ray of second dorsal the longest. Fifth or 
sixth ray of pectoral longest. Yentral spine weak. Of the two anal spines, the second is the longest 
and strongest. Spine of anal fin weak, first ray the longest. There is a deep membraneous sheath 
at the base of the dorsal and of the anal fins. 
Scales—Cover the whole of the body, as well as under the eye and upper part of opercle. 
Lateral line—Is at first moderately curved, from opposite the eighth dorsal ray it passes 
direct, but the laminated scales do not begin until opposite the thirteenth ray, they are well marked 
but not very strong, the widest being nearly equal to half the diameter of the eye. 
Colours—Back leaden blue, which below the lateral line becomes silvery white. The forepart 
of the chest, throat, the opercles, summit of head, and upper jaw, deep brownish black, which 
sometimes remains after death, on all these places there are numerous black spots, and dots. Fins 
tinged with yellow. Second dorsal deeply stained with black and margined wdth white on its first 
eight rays, the rest of the fin and anal stained with brown, and dotted with black points, as are 
also the membraneous sheaths to the fins. Eyes silvery : curtains brown. 
Grows to upwards of a foot in length and is good eating. Mostly taken in Malabar during 
the cold season. 
Habitat—Malabar, where it is common. It is also found on the Coromandel coast. 
Caeanx speciosus. 
Scomber speciosus, Forsk. 54, No. 70. 
Poloosoo parah, Russell, pi. 149. 
Caeanx speciosus, Cuv. & Val. ix. p. 130; Cantor , Catal. p. 133; Gunther , Catal. 
ii, p. 444. 
B.vii. D. 7-8 | P.20-22. Y. 1. A. 2 | ^. L. 1. 34. 
Length of head of pectoral -§, of base of first dorsal of base of second dorsal of 
base of anal f- of total length. Height of head f, of body of first dorsal of second dorsal 
of ventral ■!, of anal of total length. 
Eyes—With a narrow adipose lid on anterior and posterior sides, diameter of length of head, 
1 diameter from end of snout, 1 diameter apart. 
