PISCES ABDOMIN ALES . CYPRINUS.
PISCES ABDOMIN ALES . CYPRINUS.
No. CCVII.
C y p r i n u s ? corpore elongato, Imtceolaie ; pinna oentralis rad iis undecem; squamis in so liU
J orm a a d nuchas, pinnasque dorsi et ani.
T h e C y p r in u -s w ith a n elonga te , lan c eo la te b o d y ; e le v e n ra y s m th e v e n tr a l fin ; scales
o f an u n u su a l sh a p e o n th e sh o u ld e r, a n d at th e roots o f th e d o rsa l a n d th e an a l fin .
Called b y th e N a tiv e s P a u a h B o n t a h .
JÎ. iv. D . 14. P. 16. V. 11. A . 9. C .2 8 .
Th e body long, lanceolate, corapressed, squamous, resplendent. Scales large, scallop-sliape, striated, above the
lateral line; but smaller and not striated under it. On the shoulder they are of a singular form; oblong,
roundish, acuminate at both ends, and placed obliquely; smaller scales of a pear-shape, acuminate, the point
a little curve, are found at the roots of the dorsal and anal fins, one to each ray.
The bead narrower than the body, conical, compressed, without scales. The front gently declivous, a httle
depressed, smooth. The mouth small, with very thin lips. The jaws rather short, hardly extractile; the
superior longer, emarginate, covering the under, which is carinate ; both are destitute of teeth. Tongue short,
obtuse, smooth, fixed, sheathed. Palate smooth. Eyes very large, near the rostrum, orbicular, covered by the
skin of the head. A nostril divided by a valve, between the rostrum and orbit. Branchial opercula rounded,
resplendent, without scales; the branchial membranes joined, each having four rays; the aperture arched,
lateral.
The tnmh The back less arched than the abdomen; the sides convex but compressed; the diminution of
the tail owing more to the form of the lower parts, than to the declension of the back. Branchiæ pectinate.
The lateral line bends down a little towards the pectoral fin, then straight and middle to the end. The anus
remote.
T h e Z « i . T h e dorsal nearly middle, sub-falcate ; points o f the lobes setaceous. T h e pectoral v ery low, long,
broad, pointed above; the v en tral opposite to the dorsal : both have a larg e, lanceo late squama at their rise.
T h e anal remote, somewhat falcate, like the dorsal ; the caudal fin lo n g and deeply bifid.
The colour. The crown and front green, the face and opercula mother-of-pearl ; the back changeable, dark
green, and blue. T he sides below the line, and the belly, mother-of-pearl. The dorsal and caudal fins darkish
green, the others whitish.
The/««¿-ii from the rostrum to the tail - - i 3
to the dorsal fin - - - - ° 7
to the edge of the opercula - - 0 3
of the caudal fin - - - - ° 3
REMARKS.
This fish is frequently brought to the English tables under the name of Milk Mullet, but is much inferior
to the Gray Mullet.
No. CCVIII.
C y p r i n u s ? corpore lanceolato, aurato; radiis dorsalibus quindecem; pinnis omnibus viridis-
centihus.
T h e C y p r in u s with a lanceolate body o f a golden colour ; fifteen dorsal rays ; all the fins
o f a greenish cast.
Called b y thé Natives T o o l e l o o .
iv. D . l b . P. 1 5. T. 1 1 . A. 9. C. 24.
T h e body lanceolate, compressed, squamous, the scales small, suborbicular, ciliate, imbricate, tenacious.
T he head ovate, compressed, without scales ; the crown and front a little depressed, striate, the rostrum
obtuse, emarginate, short. The mouth small, roundish, lips simple. The jaws, when shut, neatly of equal
length, short, very little extractile. without teeth. The tongue and palate smooth, the former very small,
hardly moveable. The eyes middle, orbicular, covered with the common skin. The nostrils very small, on the
edge of the rostrum, single, divided by a valve. The opercula two-leaved, without scales, one angular, tlie
posterior rounded ; the branchial membrane has four ossicles; the aperture lateral.
The trunk. The back rather less arched than the abdomen, both are a little rounded, not carinate ; the sides
and tail compressed; the latter somewhat roundish near the fin. The bianchiæ four-leaved, pectinate. The
lateral line bends at first parallel to the belly, afterwards middle and straight to its termination. The anus
remote.
T h e fins. The dorsal centrical, in shape somewhat lunate, has fifteen or sixteen rays; the pectoral low,
acuminate above, and a lanceolate squama beneath each; the ventral broad, as long as the pectoral, distant,
acuminate above ; the anal very small, lunate like the dorsal, remote ; the caudal fin deeply bifid.
The colour. The head a yellowish green ; the opercula and trunk a gold colour ; the fins the same colour
with the head.
The lengtb nine inches.
REMARKS.
The subject described was received in spirits from Madepollam, in the montli of September. It was known
under the name of Mountain Mullet at Madepollam, from being found in the river only wJien the freshes
come down; and never caught in the sea outside of the surf. It was represented to be a well tasted fish, but
full of small bones.
The specimen sent to me was not accomiianied with any description. The golden colour appeared to be
in tolerable preservation: the other colours had probably suffered some alteration from the spirits.
It should be i-emarked of the present subject and the fish immediately preceding it, that the branchial membrane
contains four ossicles; in which respect both deviate from the generic character of Cyprinus: their
agreement with the genus in some other respects obtained them a temporary place here,
ii'