THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
99 
This fish is uncommon, and usually captured by cast nets in the surf where the fishermen 
assert it always swims ; it is very rarely taken iu the deep sea, and never in the rivers. It grows 
to one foot seven inches in length. 
Habitat—Red Sea, Seas of India, Malaysia, and Madagascar. 
Genus PSETTUS, Cuv. and Val. 
Monodactylus, Lacey. 
Branchiostegals, six: pseudobranchiae. Body much compressed and elevated. Eyes lateral. Cleft 
of mouth moderate, snout short. Infraorbital bones do not articulate with the preopercle. One dorsal 
with seven or eight spines: anal with three: ventrals rudimentary. Teeth velvety on jaws, vomer, and 
palate. Scales small, covering the vertical fins. Lateral line continuous, simple. Air bladder present, 
bifurcated posteriorly. Pyloric appendages numerous. 
PSETTUS ARGENTEUS. 
Chahodon argenteus, Lin. Amoen. Acad. iv. p. 249. 
Kauki Sandawa, Bussell , pi. 59. 
Psettus rhombeus, Cuv. & Val. vii. p. 245. 
Monodactylus rhombeus, Cantor , Catal. p. 172. 
Psettus argenteus, Gilnther , Catal. ii. p. 487. 
B.vi. D.^ 3 o. P.16. V. 3 _l. A. 28 %q. C. 17. L.l. 75. Vert. 
Length of head J, of pectoral g, of base of dorsal of base of anal of caudal ^ of total 
length. Height of head |, of body of dorsal J, of anal g, of base of caudal t\ of total length. 
Eyes—Diameter rather more than ^ length of head, | diameter from end of snout, | of a 
diameter apart. 
Body elevated and compressed; the distance from the posterior margin of the orbit to the 
base of the caudal fin, equals the distance from the base of the dorsal to the base of the anal. 
Lower jaw slightly the longest, and when the mouth is open forms the base of a semicircle, 
the remainder being completed by the upper jaw, which is rather protrusible. Preorbital long and 
narrow, with a raised festooned line rather nearer its anterior than its posterior edge. Preopercle 
high; vertical border nearly straight and entire; the angle slightly produced and finely serrated ; 
the lower margin nearly horizontal and two thirds the length of the vertical one. Opercle 
ending in two blunt spines separated by a semi-circular margin, and sometimes a third minute 
spine is perceived below. 
Teeth—Yilliform in several rows in both jaws ; some small ones on the vomer, and a lancet- 
shaped line broadest in front on the palate : teeth also along the centre of the tongue. 
Fins—The pectoral commences slightly anterior to the commencement of the dorsal and 
ventrals, which last are placed close together, and appear like two strong spines, the rays being- 
indistinct : the dorsal and anal terminate opposite one another; the extremity of the dorsal rays 
usually extends as far as the commencement of the caudal fin. The dorsal spines are nearly con¬ 
cealed, the three first being most apparent; the soft portion is elevated in front, then becomes 
o 2 
