THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
237 
the dorsal. Anal behind the dorsal, moderately elongated or very long, extending to under or from even 
anterior to the dorsal (Telara ), the pectoral occasionally has its anterior ray elongated and filamentous 
(Setipinna , Swainson). Caudal forked. Teeth on upper and lower maxillaries, a few on the anterior part 
of the vomer, palatine and pterygoid hones narrow and bristling with minute teeth, or rough. Gill openings 
very large. Scales moderate or small. Air vessel present. Pyloric appendages numerous. 
Engraulis Brownii. 
Atherina Brownii, Linn. Syst. 1397. 
Nattoo, Bussell , pi. 187. 
Engraulis fasciata, Cuv. & Val. xxi. p. 43. 
Engraulis Brownii, Guv. & Val. xxi. p. 41; Cantor , Catal. p. 303. 
B. xi. D. 14-16. P. 15-16. Y. 7. A. 20-21. C. 19. L. 1. 35-38. L. tr. 7. 
Length of head nearly 4, of pectoral <j, of caudal B of base of dorsal B of base of anal ] of 
total length. Height of head B of body B of dorsal B of ventral yB °f anal A of total length. 
Eyes—Upper margins near the superior profile, and with wide adipose lids. Diameter f of 
length of head, § of a diameter from end of snout, nearly 1 diameter apart. 
Thickness of body equals two-thirds of its height: head compressed. The abdominal profile 
is more rounded than trenchant, and the teething more like hairs than spines. 
Snout obtuse, overhanging the mouth which is deeply cleft. Posterior extremity of the 
maxilla extends to a short distance before the root of the pectoral. Lower jaw the shortest and 
compressed. 
Teeth—In fine rows on the maxilla, increasing in strength posteriorly : a fine band of inwardly 
curved ones in the lower jaw, and also a few villiform ones on the vomer and palate. 
Pins—Dorsal commences rather nearer the base of the caudal than the anterior extremity of 
the snout: ventral between it and the posterior extremity of the pectoral: and the anal under the 
last fourth of the dorsal. Caudal deeply lobed. Dorsal triangular. 
Scales—Large and deciduous, their horizontal diameter half their vertical. An elongated 
scale exists at the base of the pectoral fin. 
Lateral line—Straight on the anterior twelve scales, in the form of a central tube, beyond 
which it becomes indistinct. 
Colours—Greenish silvery above, opercles shining silvery shot with gold. A large black spot 
on the posterior half of the occiput. A broad silvery band passes from the centre of the posterior 
margin of the opercle to the centre of the caudal. Abdomen light buff colour. Fins yellowish, 
with minute black dots. Eyes silvery, orbital margin dark. 
Grows to eight inches in length, and is much esteemed for eating. It is known as Whitebait 
amongst Europeans, and is captured in Malabar in great numbers. In the Straits Cantor states 
that large quantities of them are preserved for exportation to China and India, as well as for home 
consumption, forming a delicious condiment known under the designation of “ Red-fish.” The 
following is the mode of preparation: —“ After the heads have been removed, the fishes, (those of 
middling size are preferred), are cleansed, salted, (in the proportion of one to eight parts of fish) 
and deposited in flat glazed earthen vessels. In the latter they are for three days submitted to 
pressure, by means of stones placed on thin boards or dried plantain leaves. The fishes are next 
freed from salt, and saturated with vinegar and cocoa-palm toddy, after which are added powdered 
ginger and black pepper (the latter mostly entire), and some brandy and powdered ‘ Red rice. 5 
