224 
THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
with the jaw. Five or six large card-like teeth on the palatine bones, and a small oval group of 
smaller and velvety ones on the pterygoid. 
Fins—Pectoral arises in the lower fourth of the body: the ventral midway between the gape 
of the mouth and the base of the caudal: the dorsal in the posterior third of the body : and the anal 
slightly in advance of it. The first ray of the pectoral strong and bony. Ventral small. Dorsal 
rather highest in front, and its upper margin concave. Anal of the same shape, the membrane 
between the rays of each deeply notched. Along the whole extent of the lower margin of the 
abdomen are short hair-like rays. 
Scales—Small and deciduous. 
Lateral line—Indistinctly marked, straight, situated in the upper third of the body. 
Colours—Upper surface of head and back bluish green, sides and abdomen shining silvery, a 
line of yellow divides the colours of the back from the silvery sides. Cheeks golden. Fins trans¬ 
parent, pectoral with some minute fine black points. Iris silvery, upper margin deep green. 
This fish is not uncommon in South Malabar, but much more abundant towards the north, 
where there are rocks. It is highly esteemed by the Natives when eaten fresh or salted, its taste 
varies with the season of the year in which it is captured. It grows to six feet in India, but speci¬ 
mens at New Guinea up to twelve feet are recorded. 
Habitat—From the Fed Sea, through the Seas of India, Malaysia, the Moluccas, to New 
Guinea and China, also the Eastern Coast of Africa and the Mauritius. 
Genus CHANOS, Lacey. 
Lutodeiea, Rupp ell. 
Branchiostegals, four. Body moderately elongated, abdomen rounded. Eyes lateral, with adipose 
lids. Cleft of mouth moderately deep. One dorsal with a row of scales along its base, ventral under 
centre of dorsal. Anal with a scaly base, and placed beyond posterior margin of dorsal. Pectoral and 
ventral enclosed by elongated scaly appendages. Caudal deeply cleft with two scaly semilunar laminae, 
each fixed horizontally to the upper and lower of its short central rays. Teeth absent. Scales moderate 
or small. Air vessel with a constriction. Pyloric appendages numerous. 
Chanos pala. 
Cypeinus (leuciscus) pala, Cuvier , Reg. anim. ii. p. 276. 
Chanos nuchalis, Cuv. & Val. xix. p. 197. 
Palah bontaii, Eussell , pi. 207. 
Chanos pala. Cantor , Catal. p. 278. 
Butieinus Madeeaspatensis, Jerdon , Madras Journ. xv. p. 344. 
B. iv. D. 14-15. P.17. V. 11. A. 9-11 C. 19. L. r. 75-77. L. tr. 
Length of head p 6 -, of pectoral nearly 7 j, of caudal pA of base of dorsal j. 2 , of base of anal - 23 
of total length. Height of head of body p 6 , of dorsal A of ventral r A of anal T A of total length. 
Eyes—Upper margins close to the profile. A thick adipose membrane exists over them, each 
having a central circular opening. Horizontal diameter y, vertical diameter 1 of length of head, 
\ a horizontal diameter from end of snout, 1 horizontal diameter apart. 
