THE FISHES OF MALABAE. 
Leptocepiialus Malabaeicus. Plate XIX. Fig. 1. 
Leptocephalus Malabaeicus, Day , Proc. Zool. Boc. 1865, p. 308. 
Length of specimen 3 jq inches. Lateral muscles about 212. 
Length of head of total length. Height of head about Da °f body 1 V 3 of dorsal fin about yb, 
of anal about D of total length. 
Eyes—In the centre of the height of the head : diameter -1 of length of head, 1 diameter from 
end of snout. 
Profile from snout nearly horizontal to the upper margin of the occiput, from whence it is 
slightly raised. Body very compressed. 
Mouth cleft to beyond the posterior margin of the orbit: snout produced overlapping the 
lower lip. 
Probably due to accident, a circular hole exceeding the diameter of the eye, exists at the 
posterior extremity of the anterior two-fifths of the body, midway below the vertebral column and 
the ventral surface : also a notch near the under surface of the caudal. 
Fins—Destitute of rays. The dorsal commences a short distance behind the head, and is con¬ 
tinuous with the caudal and anal. Anal occupies the posterior half of the body. Pectoral absent. 
Caudal short. 
Colours—Body whitish. Eye golden, its lower surface orange. A line of yellow spotted 
with green proceeds backwards from the eye, a second from the mouth, which last also traverses 
the lower lip. 
This little fish was brought alive, and remained about two hours swimming about in a globe of 
water. 
* Leptocephalus acuticaudatus. 
Leptocephalus acuticaudatus, Kaujp , Catal. Brit. Mils. p. 151, f. 16. 
Head moderately blunt. Ring-like dots on the anterior part of the ventral'*border. 
Teeth—Absent. 
Fins—Caudal and pectoral pointed. The dorsal fin, destitute of visible rays, begins near the 
head. 
Colours—The pigmentary rings on the fore part of the ventral rim pass into black points, 
which probably extend to the tip of the tail. 
This specimen was brought from Malabar by Dussumier. 
Habitat—Malabar. 
*' Leptocephalus Dussumieei. 
Leptocephalus Dussumieei, Kauj Catal. Brit. Mus. p. 151, f. 17. 
“ Diag. A very small head, no teeth, and a pointed tail destitute of a caudal fin. No dots 
either on the lateral line or along the edge of the belly. 
Descr. Three examples exist in the Paris Museum, one of which is dried up to the thinness of 
paper ; and a small one was sent from Malabar by Dussumier. It is a moderately elongated 
species, whose transverse muscular furrows are very fine, and not near each other. The pectorals 
are wanting. In none of the fins could I discover rays.”— Kaup. 
