THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 
273 
Scales—Minute, of irregular sizes, and situated oyer tlie whole of the surface except the 
summit of the male appendages and the teeth of the saw. They are rather the largest and roughest 
on the back. 
Colours—Greyish yellow above, whitish beneath. Iris golden with a black edge. 
Grows to seven feet and upwards in length. The flesh is as much esteemed as that of the 
sharks. The fins are prepared and sent to China : oil is extracted from the livers, whilst the skins 
are useful for sword belts or for smoothing down wood. 
Habitat—Seas of India and Malaysia. 
Group RHAMPHQBATIBES. 
Genus RHYNCOBATUS, Midi . & Henle . 
Snout elongated, acute, with a central, longitudinal, tapering keel, the interval between which and the 
inner margin of the pectoral is membraneous : undulations of snout are shallow, especially the lateral ones. 
Superior and inferior nasal valves extend only half way to the inner angle of the nostril, whilst external 
to the nostril at its upper and outer part is a narrow hem. Spiracles close behind the eyes. The upper 
eyelid with a simple projection. Teeth broader than long, with a transverse ridge. An arched row of 
pores extends across the abdominal surface of the scapular region. 
\ 
Rhyncobatus Djeddensis. 
Raja Djiddensis, Forsh . 18. 
Walawah tenkee, Russell , pi. x. ( young .) 
Rhyncobatus Djeddensis, Cantor , Catal. p. 412. 
Rhyncobatus LiEVis, Gray , Catal. Brit. Mus. p. 92 ; Dumeril , Icli. gen. i. p. 483. 
Snout elongated, with a tapering keel along its centre. From its anterior extremity to its 
mouth, equals about one-sixth of its entire length. The distance from the nostrils to the lateral 
margin is about one-third of their length, whilst their distance apart posteriorly nearly equals 
their total length, anteriorly they are rather more than twice as far asunder. Eyes large, upper 
lid with a simple projection. Spiracle close behind the orbit. There is a narrow membraneous 
hem to the upper margin of the nostril : the superior and inferior nasal valves do not extend so 
far as the inner margin of the nostrils. Mouth transverse, situated midway between the anterior 
extremity of the snout and the posterior margin of the pectoral fin, it is about half the width of 
the head. A transverse arched row of pores exists on the abdominal side of the scapular region. 
Teeth—Broader than long with transverse ridges. 
Fins—First dorsal commences opposite the centre of the base of the ventral, the length of 
their bases are about equal, and half the anterior height of the anterior margin of the first dorsal. 
The second dorsal is half nearer to the base of the caudal than to the posterior extremity of the 
first dorsal,-it is smaller than the latter fin, but its shape is the same. Pectoral irregularly trian¬ 
gular, its posterior free margin being only one-third as long as its anterior edge. Upper margin 
of caudal convex, lower concave : superior lobe slightly the largest. 
Scales—Minute, of irregular shapes and sizes, keeled : a number of sharp curved spines directed 
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