I i
T h e /« s . The dorsal and anal fins as in the last species, but the ventral situated nearer the tail. The
pectoral high, straight, acuminate above. The caudal fin differs from the last, being bilobed, or divided
unequally: tlie lower lobe mucli the longest.
The colour. The crown and back changeable ; the opercula, sides, and abdomen, silvery; the ventral and
anal fins glassy-white; the others bluish, paler than the back.
Length of the subject described, from the upper jaw to the caudal fin, nine inches four lines.
No. CLXXVIII.
E so x maxilla superiore brevi; injeriore longissima, suhulata; corpore lineare; squamis v a n is ;
cauda biloba.
T h e E so x w ith a sh o rt u p p e r j a w ; th e u n d e r , aw l-fo rm a n d e x trem e ly lo n g ; th e b o d y
lin e a r, co v e red w ith scales o f d iv e rs e s h a p e s ; th e ta il u n eq .u a lly b ifid .
C alled b y th e N a tiv e s K u d d e r a . C.
B . x iii. D . 2 i . P. 9 . V. 6 . A . IS . C. 18.
T his species, in the structure of the mouth and lower jaw, agrees with the last, but in the shape of the trunk,
approaches nearer No. C LXXVI.; it differs however from all I have hitherto found described.
The body linear, compressed, squamous; scales imbricate, loose, but singularly varying in shape; some
almost square, others oval or angular.
The head depressed, compressed, smooth, without scales, except on the crown ; the front deeply grooved in
the middle. The mouth as in the last species ; the upper jaw short, the denticulate part of the under corresponding;
but then it projects into a taper, sharp-pointed, bony, awl-shape process, three inches three lines
in length. Teeth numerous, linear. Tongue roundish, small, cartilaginous, smooth, bridled; the palate rough.
The eyes supreme, round, larger than in the last. The nostrils double, in a pit near the orbit. The opercula
also, as in the last, without scales.
The trunk. The back straight, roundish, carinate; the sides compressed, the breast and abdomen attenuate,
carinate, and straight to the anal fin, where the tail becomes narrower by the lower part slanting towards the
caudal fin, for the upper edge hardly declines. The lateral line high, straight, parallel to the back. The lower
line near the belly, found in the three preceding species, is here wanting; but the anus, as in the others,
remote.
The_y?ns. The dorsal and anal are situated as in No. C LX X V I .; the pectoral middle, remarkably long,
acuminate above, point setacious; the ventral remote, extremely small; the caudal bilobate as in the last species,
the upper lobe very short.
The colour. The upper part of the head and back a dark blue, brightening on the sides to a bright leaden.
T he colour of the fins was accidentally omitted.
Inch«. Lines.
Length of the subject described, from the upper jaw to the caudal fin 10 6
to the dorsal fin - - - - - - - - 7 0
ventral fin - - - - - - 6 3
point of the maxillary process - - - - 3 5
o f the lower lobe of the tail - - - - - 1 9
ELOPS.
G E N E R IC C H A R A C T E R .
Caput leEve. De n tium scahrilies in maxiU
larum margine, palato. Membrana hran-
chiostega ra d iis x x x . .• p raterea exterius
in medio armata dentibus quinque.
T h e head smooth. T h e margin o f the
jaws, and the palate rough with small
teeth. T h irty rays in the branchial
membrane : armed in the middle externally
with five teeth.
No. CLXXIX.
E 1.OPS cauda hilobata; squama lanceolata horizontale ante pinnam caudalem, supra et in fra .
T h e E lo p s w i th a tail u n e q u a lly d iv id e d ; a lan c eola te , h o r izo n ta l scale on each edge o f
the cau d al fin .
Elops saurus L in n . S . X . p . h \ 8 .
C a lled b y the N a t iv e s J i n a g o w .
Z .x x x . D . T - P .M . F. 14. A.YÂ. C .2 8 .
T h e head large, ovate, compressed, without scales, splendent; the front gently declivous, with a broad, smooth
furrow, striated on the edges from the crown to the nose. Tlie mouth wide, a little oblique, or arched, hardly
any lips. The jaws nearly of equal length, long, extractile; the under carinate; the upper has an oblong,
rounded, flat process, reverted towards the opercula; both are scabrous externally. Teeth marginal, small, not
close, except in the forepart of the lower jaw. Tongue lanceolate, above convex, rough, free. Two denticulate
bones on each side of the palate. Eyes supreme, advanced, large, round, and being covered with the
transparent skin of the head, look as if enclosed in glass. The nostrils distant from the orbit, double, unequal,
contiguous, small, oval. Branchial opercula large, rounded, without scales, splendent ; great part of tlie membrane
displayed ; the aperture wide, lateral and gular.
The trunk. The back very gently arched, a little rounded ; the breast and abdomen almost straight, plane;
the sides and tail compressed. The denticules of llic anterior branchiæ very long. Lateral line bends gently
from the upper edge of the opercula, but soon becomes middle and straight. The anus behind the middle.
The fins. The dorsal, nearly in the middle, falcate, consisting of six or seven assurgent raj’ s, and fourteen
or fifteen declining, Tiie first two or three are spinous, but lie close on each other. The pectoral very low,
acuminate at top ; the ventral opposite to the dorsal, rather shorter than the pectoral, consisting of fourteen
rays, of which the first is longest; the anal very remote, in shape like the dorsal, but much smaller; the
caudal fin bifid, the upper lobe longest. At the origin of the caudal fin, on each side, is a large, bony, lanceolate
scale.
T he colour. The upper part of the head and back a darkish blue; the abdomen pearl-white. The dorsal
and caudal fins, somewhat less dark tlian the back ; the ¡lectoral of the same colour, but black at the points;
the ventral and anal light, with a faint yellowish tinge.