h,. ¡1
H
I:
:ii ■' No. CLXXXII.
M ü g :l s fn i s analibus m llis ; capite Mo squamoso; squamis magnis ciliatis; cauda lunata.
T h e M ug il w i th o u t sp in e s in the an a l fin ; the h e ad in t i r e ly squ am ou s ; sca les v e r y la rg e
an d c ilia te ; th e ta ll lu n a te .
C a lled b y th e N a t iv e s P e d d a r a k i S o v j r e .
B . V . D . T 9. P . 19. V .T . A . 1 2 . C. 18.
T h is fish cliffbrs from the Mullet in the shape o f the body, as well as from the Kunnesee, while it agrees
with both in many of the ptincil»! characters. The scales every where sub-ovate, ciliate, remarkably large,
tenacious.
The head is less of an ovate shape, and, as well as the opercula, covered with scales. The upper lip is thickish,
and the tongue roughish ; but the mouth, jaws, palate, nostrils, branchial opercula, membrane, and aperture,
are exactly as described in the last species. The eyes are of the same form, though placed lower.
The tnmk. The back is more assurgent and arched, and the abdomen a little more prominent, than in the
last; the sides and tail convex, compressed. The denticles of the branchiæ short and soft. The lateral line can
scarcely be traced. The anus remote.
The Jins. The first dorsal, of four spinous rays, is in the middle of the back where it begins to decline
towards the tall, and of the same shape as in the last, but not so high ; the second dorsal is mudi more falcate,
and the two first rays longer, more setaceous; the pectoral fin middle, and also more falcate; the ventral as in
the last, opposite to the dorsal, but the lanceolate squamæ are entirely wanting; the anal, in shape like the
second dorsal, has no spinous rays ; the caudal large, and lunate.
The colour nearly that of the Mullet ; and a few darkish fillets are visible also on the sides, though less
conspicuous.
Lengtb of the subject described, two feet.
REMARKS.
In this and the preceding species, as well as in the Mullet, the continuation of the membrane of the dorsal
fin, gives the idea in the drawing of a fifth ray ; nevertheless, all my memoranda concur in the number four
spinous rays.
POLYNEMUS.
G E N E R IC C H A R A C T E R .
Caput compressum undique squamosum : rostro
ottusissimo, prominente. Membrana branchiostega
ra d iis vii. seu v. Corpus digitis
liberis a d pinnas pectorales.
T h e head compressed, and all over squamous
: the rostrum prominent, and v e ry
obtuse. Seven or five rays in the b ran chial
membrane ; free digiti at the pectoral
fins.
No. C L X X X in .
PoLVNEMUS digitis quatuor breuioribus ; pinna caudali bijida, sub-falcata, squamosa.
T h e PoLYNEMus with four shorter digiti ; a bifid caudal fin , slightly falcate and covered
with scales.
Called b y the Natives M a g a J e l l e e .
B . vii. D . "b.Ts. P. I 7. V. ¥ . A . T . C. 22 ?
Tlie body oblong, tliick, compressed, squamous, a little rough to the finger; scales middle size, orbicular,
ciliate, not tenacious.
T he head large, gently declivous, squamous excepting the nose, compressed, the front flattish, rostrum obtuse,
projecting. Mouth under the rostrum, transverse, rather wide, no lips. The jaws extractile, the under shortest,
both rough like a file externally and internally, but no large teeth. Tongue oblong, point round, smooth, the
rest scabrous. The palate smooth in the middle, rough on the sides. Eyes advanced, nearly middle, large,
round, Nostrils double, nearer the rostrum than the orbit. The opercula rounded, squamous, margins ciliate;
the membrane covered; the aperture lateral and gular.
T he tnmk. The back arched, convex; the breast and abdomen straight, plane; the sides and tail compressed,
the latter somewhat carinate. The exterior branchiæ pectinate, the others rough, like the maxillæ. The lateral
line, from the edge of the opercula declines very gradually, afterwards middle and straight. The anus nearly
middle.
T he Jus. There arc two dorsal : the first scapular, of eiglit sjiinous rays, tlie first ray very short, the others
extend above the membrane; the second fin in the middle of the back, has one spinous ray, and sixteen ramous
in a crescent form; the pectoral extremely low, broad, acuminate above ; the ventral contiguous, shorter than
the pectoral ; the anal exactly like the second dorsal, but rises a little nearer the tail ; the caudal very squamous
to tlie edge, rendering it difficult to count the rays, deeply divided, the lobes thick and slightly falcate towards
the points. The longest of the four digiti, about two inches two lines ; all are of a whitish colour.
The colour of the head above, and of the back, a dusky blue ; the parts below the eves and the lateral line,
gray ; tbe lips reddish ; and there is a yellow, lunate spot behind the orbit. The dorsal and caudal fins dusky,
not black; the other fins glossy, light colour.
Length of the subject described, one foot eight inches.