shape and termmate opposite to eaeh other, at the narrowest part o f the tail; the first rays in both, are shorter,
and rise more gradually to form the crescent; the caudal is less deeply divided, the lobes nearly o f equal
length; but all the three fins are more remarkably distinguished, b y being squamous almost to the margut of
the membrane. T h e pectoral broad, descending, the point a little curve. N o ventral fins.
Cohur. T h e whole fish is o f a cineritious colour, the be lly only being somewhat lighter, and here and there
marked with v ery minute black dots.
The from the nose to the middle o f the anal fin, - - - u
Inches. Lincs.
11 6'
Breadth o f the b o d y .............................................................. - - - - 7 o
R EM A R K S .
T h is species is v ery rare. I first saw it in M a y 178S, and it was very seldom brought afterwards. In
quality for the table it is very inferior to the white or black Pomfret. T h o u gh alike in colour, this fish is very
different from the Stromateus Cinereus o f B lo ch ; which is specifically characterized, b y the length o f the
lower lobe o f the caudal fin.
No. XLV .
S t r o m a t e u s corpore rhombeo, alepidoto ; acidéis bicuspidatis ante pinnam dorsalem analemque :
canda lunata lobo injeriore longissimo.
T h e S t r o m a t e u s , w i th a rh om b -fo rm b o d y , w ith o u t s c a le s ; d o u b le h e a d e d sp in e s
b e fo re th e d o rsal a n d th e an a l fin ; th e in fe r io r lobe o f th e lu n a te d c au d a l fin
v e r y lo n g . C a lled b y th e N a tiv e s S u m S a n d a w a h .
B. iv . D. 7. 39. P. 2 2 . V- 0 , T . 5. 40. C. 2 4 .
T h e hody rhomb-form. thin, compressed, without scales, the skin soft, marked with various lines or stria:.
T h e bead small, compressed, short, obtuse. T h e mouth under the projecting blunt nose, small, narrow, the
jaws have little motion, the under shortest; neither have teeth, nor are there teeth in the palate. T h e tongue
round, blunt.
T h e eyes middle, large, not prominent. Nostrils between the orbit and nose, one before the other, the
posterior largest, o v a l; the other round.
T h e hinder lamina o f the operculum acuminate; the branchial membrane visible, though partly covered.
T h e trunk. T h e back assurgent and carinate; on the hind head are two latent spines; and on the ascent
before the dorsal fin, are seven distlnct, visible, spiculi, with double points. Another latent spine is felt on the
breast, and five spiculi like those on the back, are visible before the anal fin. T h e sides and tail as in the other
specieé. T h e lateral line is arched, exactly as in the white Pom fret; but a second line equally conspicuous,
rising from the same place, runs straight to the tail. T h e anus near the head.
T h e > s . T h e dorsal and anal fins in situation and form resemble those o f the white Pomfret, but each has
a recumbent spine in front, pointing forward, and the anterior crescent portion o f the anal terminates in a long
setaceous tail. T h e caudal is lunate, and its inferior lobe, four inches one-fourth in length, terminates in the
same manner as tha t o f the a n a l; the pectoral, long, acuminate; no ventral fins.
T h e colour o f the back, and dorsal fin. leaden, the belly s ilv e r y ; the anal and caudal fins yellow.
T h e length, from the nose to the caudal fin,
Greatest breadth - - - - - - - - -
Inches. Lines.
R EM A R K S .
T h e two last fish seem hitherto to have been undescribed. T lie former, as before remarked, differs much
from the Stromateus Cinereus o f Bloch.* T h e latter agreeing witii tlie Stromateus Argenteus o f Cliina,-j' in
the double-headed spines before the dorsal and anal fins, is distinguished b y the want o f scales, and by the shape
o f the anal and caudal fins.
T fie species therefore o f this genus found on the coast o f Coromandel, are the following.
1. Stromateus striis carens o f Bloch, sent from Tranquebar by Dr. Koenig, and which appears to be distinct
from the Stromateus Paru o f Linnaeus.];
2. Stromateus Cinereus.§
3. Stromateus Argenteus, N o . X L I I .
4. Stromateus Niger, No. X L III.
5. Stromateus Atoo Koia, No. X L IV .
6. Stromateus Sudi Sandawah, No. X L V .
7. Stromateus Sadei Waval, mentioned by tlie Danish missionary, the Rev. Mr. John, but not described ; and
may possibly be the same with No. XLV.||
T h e two species o f China, viz.
Stromateus Argenteus.
Stromateus Chinensis,5f are distinct from any o f the above. A s to the Stromateus Cumarca,** it remains
doubtful whether distinct or not, from tlie Paru o f Linneus.
• Bloch, PI. 420.
II Ib.Tom. IV.p.81.
t Act. Acad. Stockholm, Tom. IX. Tab. 9.
f Act. Acad. Stockholm.
Í Bloch, P!. 160.
*• Linn, ed Gmel.
§ PI. 420.
p. 1148.
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