THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
109 
Gobius giurus. 
Korah-mottah, Bussell , pi. 50. 
? Koku, Bussell , pi. 51. 
Gobius giurus, Ham. Buck. pp. 51, 366, pi. 33, f. 15 ; Cuv. & Val. xii. p. 72 ; Gunther , 
Catal. iii. p. 21. 
Gobius kokius, Cuv. & Val. xii. p. 68; Jerdon , Madras Journ., xv. p. 148; Cantor , 
Catal. p. 180. 
Gobius catebus, Cuv. & Val. xii. p. 76. 
Gobius kora, Cuv. & Val. xii. p. 77. 
Wartee poollah, and pooan, Med. 
B. iv. D. 6 [ 1 P. 18-20. V. f. A. J. ¥ . C. 17. L. 1. 26-34. Vert, ji 
Length of head T 3 g, of pectoral of caudal of first dorsal of second dorsal ^, of anal 
| of total length. Height of head of body T 2 g, of first dorsal of second dorsal , 2 y, of ventral |, 
of anal ^ of total length. 
Eyes—On upper surface of the head, directed upwards and forwards; diameter -jV of length 
of head, 2 \ diameters from end of snout, not quite ^ a diameter apart. 
Body elongated, subcylindrical and rather compressed towards the tail; the profile from the 
snout to the dorsal is in a straight line; the head rather wider than the body. 
Mouth wide; lower jaw the longest, the upper extends to beneath the anterior margin of the 
orbit; intermaxillaries rather large and protrusible. Preopercle broad, its vertical limb about 
equal in length to the horizontal, and its angle rounded. Cheeks puffed. Opercle triangular, 
with the base above. Subopercle rather broad. The distance from the snout to the posterior 
margin of the preopercle rather more than that from the base of the first dorsal to the posterior 
margin of the orbit. Interorbital space concave from side to side. Openings of nostrils situated 
midway between the eyes and snout. 
Teeth—Several rows of villiform with an external row of widely separated conical ones in each 
jaw. Some large canines in the upper jaw. 
Fins—Pectoral arises behind the opercle, its base being broad and equal to about one-third 
the height of the body : the ventrals commence under it, and the first dorsal opposite its first 
third ; the second dorsal begins rather beyond the posterior extremity of the pectoral. The anal 
commences under the third ray of the second dorsal. Spines of the first dorsal weak, and 
prolonged, the membrane rather deeply notched, its base occupying two-elevenths less space than 
the base of the second dorsal. Pectoral rounded. Ventrals united into a disk, the distance from 
their posterior extremity to the vent being equal to half their length. A considerable portion of 
the tail (equal to the base of the first dorsal) is finless. Caudal pointed. 
Scales—Large and quadrangular, rather smaller anterior to the first dorsal, and considerably 
so opposite the opercles. 
Colours—Vary in different specimens according to the waters they inhabit; they are usually 
of a fawn colour, with slight cloudy markings of a darker colour, and having purplish reflections 
on the body. The head has a cloudy band passing over the eyes and forehead, down towards the 
corner of the month: another dark band passes along the lower border of the cheek, which is met 
by two other narrower bands, one of which proceeds from behind the eye, and the other from the 
back of the head. The lower surface of the body is white, and the sides have golden reflections, 
