Major Gen. Hardwicke on the Goramy of India, 313 



Thirdly, that their astonishing fecundity provides for the colony a re- 

 source of which it will quickly recognize the importance, by the facility 

 which it offers of soon stocking its ponds and rivers. 

 I have the honor to be, 

 My dear Sir, 



Your faithful and obedient Servant, 

 Thomas Hardwicke. 

 Thurlow House, Clapham, 

 24th Nov. 1828. 



Description of the Goramy, afresh water fish of China, naturalized in 

 the Isle of France. 



Osphronemus Olfax, Commerson : Trichopus Goramy, Shaw, Gen. 

 Zool. V. iv, p, 388. 



In figure ovate, compressed, and almost carinated behind the anus, both 

 above and beneath. 



In colour a tarnished silvery white, with a little mixture of brown. 



The scales rather large, with rounded and finely serrated external mar- 

 gins, firmly attached and extended over the bases of the dorsal, anal 

 and caudal fins. 



The head rather small, the rostrum somewhat produced, jaws extensile, 

 teeth very small, numerous, and without order, inside the mouth ; 

 but on each jaw is a marginal row, longer, sharper, and regular. 



The tongue is muscular, rather large, and firmly fixed in the 

 mouth, with small file-like teeth about the posterior surface and on 

 the tip. The eyes are just above the angles of the mouth, the pupils 

 round, black, and encircled with a fine golden yellow iris. 



The nostrils are double, small, and circular ; their anterior aper- 

 ture is surrounded by a thin tubular membrane. 



The branchial membrane is not exposed, and the opening of the 

 gills not very free ; the operculum scaly. 



The lateral line extends from the upper angle of the gill-opening, in nearly 

 a straight line, above the middle of the sides, to the base of the cau- 

 dal fin. 



