144 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
dorsal spines not strong : the membrane rather emarginate ; the fin commences on the twenty-first 
scale from the snout, and on the twelfth of the lateral line : its second spine is midway between 
the snout and base of caudal fin: its first three spines are of about equal length, the third is weak, 
and rather more than half as long as the first: an elongated scale extends the whole length of the 
base of the fin. Ventral spine moderately strong, and nearly as long as the third of the dorsal ones. 
The second dorsal commences opposite the second ray of the anal, and the twenty-fourth scale of 
the lateral hue. The distance between the two dorsals, equals the anterior margin of the second 
dorsal, which is twice as high as the posterior; upper edge of fin concave, its last ray double and 
rather prolonged. Anal slightly in advance of the second dorsal, the third spine rather more than 
twice as long as the first ray, the last ray being double and longer than the preceding one : its 
inferior margin concave. Caudal lunated in its posterior fourth. 
Scales—Over body and head: some fine ones on the base of the caudal, and between the 
ventral rays ; a few along’ the bases of the second dorsal, anal, and between their first few rays. 
A fine longitudinal groove on all those except below the pectoral fin, which have vertical grooves, 
excepting the three rows in the centre of the abdominal line. The scales on the opercles and 
subopercles are very thin. 
Colours—Silvery, with the summit of head and back bluish green : the fin membrane of the 
first and second dorsals, caudal, anal, and pectoral pale yellow, dotted with black. The first spine 
of the dorsal blackish; the spine and the upper half of the first ray of the second dorsal black, 
and also the margins of the caudal. A black mark in the axil, ventrals white. Iris silvery round 
the pupil, but dark green towards the orbit. 
Not rare at Cochin. Grows to six inches in length. 
Habitat—Seas of Malabar and Malaysia. 
Mugil Waigiensis. 
Mugil AVaigiensis, Quoy & Gaim. Yoj. Freyc. Poissons, p. 337, pi. 59, f. 2 5 Gunther , 
Catal. iii. p. 435. 
Mugil macrolepidotus, Guv. & Val. xi. p. 134 ; Cantor , Catal. p. 95. 
Fresh water mullet. 
B. vi. D.4 | l. P. 17. Ah l. A. f. C. 15. L. 1. 26-27. L. tr. 8-9. 
Length of head 4, of pectoral x ^-, of caudal j 2 T , of base of first dorsal of base of second 
dorsal of base of anal ^ of total length. Height of head J, of body of first dorsal ^ of 
second dorsal G of ventral j^, of anal ^ of total length. 
Eyes—AVithout adipose membranes, horizontal diameter §, vertical diameter T 2 T of the 
length of head, 1 \ diameters from end of snout, and 2 diameters apart. 
General appearance short and stout. The line of the profile from the snout along the back 
being almost straight. Head rather compressed. The width of the body is more than the height 
of the head. 
Mouth broad, lips thin, intermaxillaries wide, meeting superiorly at an angle, slightly notched 
in the centre to receive the knob of the symphysis of the mandibulan Maxilla thin, rounded, and 
angular, apparent under the preorbital. Preorbital irregularly pyramidal, its base being towards 
the orbit, ending in a point anteriorly: lower margin denticulated, its anterior two-thirds convex, 
and separated by a deep notch from its external angle which is rounded and denticulated. The 
