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Show 940 SURGEON F. DAY ON N E W FISHES OF MADRAS. [Nov. 28, Colours. Silvery grey, becoming dirty white along the abdomen. First dorsal tipped with black ; second dorsal greyish, lightest along its centre. Pectorals, ventrals, and anal yellowish. Caudal tinged with grey. I have referred this to Bloch's species, although he gives the dorsal formulary as follows:-D. 8|A; but his engraving shows D. 9 gj, and the first short spine is evidently omitted. This would give D. 10 | Yi> as I find to he the case at Madras. His specimen was received from Tranquebar. GOBIUS BREVIFILIS, C. & V. B.iv. D. 611-. P. 17. V. 6. A. 1/9. C. 9. L. 1. 21. L. tr. 12. Lengtb of specimens to 4 inches. Length of head \, of pectoral -*f, of base of first dorsal nearly T, of base of second dorsal i, of base of anal \, of caudal \ of the total length. Height of head jr, of body \, of first dorsal \, of second dorsal \, of ventral -1, of anal -^-0- oi the total length. Eyes. Diameter 1 of length of head ; -f of a diameter from end of snout, ^ of a diameter apart. Body rather compressed; profile from the snout to above the orbit forming almost one-fourth of a circle. Gape of mouth rather wide, and cleft deep, the posterior extremity of the maxilla extending to beneath the anterior third of the orbit. Snout obtuse, rounded. Interorbital space very narrow, and slightly concave. Occipital crest indistinct. Posterior limb of praeoperculum almost vertical, and not quite so long as the horizontal one ; angle rounded and entire. Teeth in several pointed villiform rows in both jaws ; an external row of larger recurved teeth in the anterior third of either jaw. Fins. Base of pectoral wide; all the rays branched, the central ones the longest. The second spine of the first dorsal elongated and filiform, as is also the third, but not to so great an extent; interspinous membrane moderately emarginate. Rays of the second dorsal fin of about equal height along its whole extent. Eight rows of scales between the posterior extremity of the second dorsal and the base of tbe caudal. Ventrals united. Anal low, its last ray slightly elongated; and seven rows of scales between its base and that of the caudal, which last is wedged-shaped, the central rays being the longest. Scales finely ctenoid, none on the head. Colours. Buff clouded with black ; a large black blotch extending from between the two dorsals to the middle of the body, three more under or just beyond the second dorsal, and a large black blotch at the root of the tail. First dorsal with two rows of black spots; second dorsal with three rows. Caudal irregularly spotted, and with a dark margin. Pectorals buff-colour. Ventrals slate-colour. Anal buffy brown, edged with black. |
