112 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
Fins—Origin of ventral in front of pectoral, of first dorsal over anterior third of pectoral. 
Distance between first and second dorsal equals diameter of eye. Dorsal spines weak. Caudal 
wedge-shaped. 
Scales—Nearly quadrangular, elevated along their centres: none on the head. 
Colours—Of a general light brown, with some irregularly disposed dusky vertical bands on 
the sides and back. A dark bar runs directly downwards from the eye, and several irregular 
brown bands exist about the opercles and on the head. The first dorsal has a deep black cres¬ 
centic mark, commencing between its second and third spine, and being continued to its last, 
above it is a curved white band bordered superiorly by black. Second dorsal, caudal and anal 
brownish, with several rows of spots of a darker colour. 
Common in the Kurriavanoor river north of Cochin, when the freshes from the ghauts rush 
down to the sea. The size does not appear to exceed three inches. 
Habitat—Rivers of Malabar. 
* Gobius neglectus. 
Gobius neglectus, Jerdon , Madras Journal, xv. p. 148. 
? Bullee kokaii, Russell , pi. 53. 
B. iv. D. 6 | 11. A. 10-11. L. 1. about 50. 
Length of head ^ of total length. Diameter of eye 1 length of head, nearly 1 diameter apart. 
Profile of head sloping from eye to muzzle. 
Colours—Nearly uniformly fulvous, with occasionally some dark markings on the back: 
second dorsal and caudal spotted. 
Grows to eight inches in length. 
Habitat—Rivers of Malabar and Coromandel. 
Gobius acutipinnis. 
Gobius acutipinnis, Cuv. & Val. xii. p. 80 ; Gunther , Catal. iii. p. 44. 
Gobius setosus, Cuv. & Val. xii. p. 81. 
B. iv. D. 6 | T olrr- P. 19. V. f. A. Jp C. 19. L. 1. 25. L. tr. 6. 
Length of head -J, of pectoral §, of caudal of base of first dorsal of base of second 
dorsal ^> of base of anal \ of the total length. Height of head of body A, of first dorsal of 
second dorsal of Central of anal ^ of the total length. 
Eyes—Directed upwards and outwards, diameter l length of head, 4 a diameter apart, 1 dia¬ 
meter from end of snout. 
Body elongated, rather compressed, abdominal profile rather more curved than that of the 
back. 
Muzzle rounded, maxilla extending posteriorly to beneath the anterior margin of the orbit. 
Opercle rounded. Preopercle rectangular, its angle rounded. 
Teeth—Villiform, with a larger external row. 
Fins—Dorsal and ventral arise slightly in advance of the pectoral: the second dorsal opposite 
the ninth row of scales : the anal opposite the third dorsal ray. First dorsal spines weak, pro¬ 
longed into filaments, the fourth and fifth being of equal length and the longest : the interspinous 
