THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 119 



Fam. BATRACHIDiE. 

 Genus Batraciius, Klein. 



Branchiostegals, sis : pseudobranchise none. Head broad depressed, body subcylindrical anteriorly, 

 compressed posteriorly. Eyes lateral or approximating superiorly. Mouth widely cleft, lips frequently 

 surmounted by tentacles. Gill covers spinate. Two dorsals, the anterior spinous and short ; the posterior 

 long and similar to the anal. Ventrals jugular with three rays, the anterior of which is simple, elongated 

 and flattened. Teeth on the jaws, vomer, and palatine bones. Scales absent or rudimentary. Air bladder 

 present, constricted into two lateral portions. 



Batrachus GRUNNIENS. 



Cottus geunniens, var. B. Linn. Gmelin, i. p. 1209. 



Batrachus grunniens, Block, pi. 179 ; Giinther, Catal. iii. p. 168. 



Batrachoides Gangene, Ham. Buck. pp. 34, 365, pi. 14, f. 1. 



B. vi. D. 3 | 20. P. 25. V. *. A. 14-18. C. 12. Opercular spines iv. 



Length of head f, of pectoral \, of caudal \, of base of first dorsal £ 5 , of base of second 

 dorsal f , of base of anal J of the total length. Height of head \, of body \, of first dorsal T ! g, of 

 second dorsal fc, of anal y^, of ventral \ of total length. 



Eyes — On upper and outer side of head, diameter § of length of head, 1 diameter apart, 

 I a diameter from end of snout. 



Body longest in front, widest opposite the end of the opercle, where it is nearly two thirds 

 the height of body. Head flat, depressed, and obtuse in front. Body rather compressed posteriorly. 



Lower jaw the longest, rather pointed in front, and with a tubercle on symphysis. Gape 

 of mouth very wide. The maxilla rather notched in the centre and extending to beneath the 

 posterior margin of the orbit. Lips fleshy, and surrounded by a wreath of short tentacles. 

 Intermaxillaries protrusible. Preopercle as long as high. Opercle with two strong spines on its 

 posterior margin, the largest equal to two thirds of the diameter of the orbit, they are connected 

 at their bases, the superior passes upwards, backwards, and slightly outwards, the inferior directly 

 backwards and slightly outwards. From the subopercle proceed two more spines also connected 

 together at their bases, neither so long, nor so strong as the upper two, but passing in the 

 same direction. Preorbital small. Upper surface of the head lineated in ridges. The posterior 

 processes of the intermaxillaries extend backwards to opposite the centre of the orbit. A groove 

 passes from the posterior margin of one orbit to that of the other. At the anterior superior 

 margin of the orbit exists a blunt elevation, sometimes surmounted by a tentacle. 



Teeth — In numerous, sharp, pointed, irregular rows in both upper and lower jaws, which 

 become a single series posteriorly. Teeth also on the vomer and palatines, forming a single semi- 

 circular band rather larger than those in the jaws. 



Fi ns — The ventral arises under the throat : the pectoral which has a long muscular base, 

 commences from behind the opercles : it has no foramen in the axil. The first dorsal commences 

 opposite the posterior margin of the origin of the pectoral : the anal opposite the fourth ray of the 

 dorsal. Ventral pointed. Pectoral wedge-shaped. First dorsal triangular : spines moderately 

 strong, the second being the longest : second dorsal, and anal trapezoid. Caudal wedge-shaped. 



