THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 181 



Genus OSTEOGENIOSUS, Bleeker. 



Branehiostegals, five. Opercular bones with moveable articulations. No lateral groove ou head : 

 luiiies on summit of head granulated, and covered with a very thin skin. Mouth anterior, very wide, the 

 upper jaw generally the longest. Cirri consisting of one bony maxillary pair. Nostrils approximating, 

 the posterior provided with a valve. Teeth in jaws villiform : on palate obtusely conical, in two oblong 

 widely separated patches. Two dorsals, the first with a strong serrated spine and seven rays, it is placed 

 before the ventrals : second dorsal adipose, small. Pectoral spine strong and serrated. Caudal forked or 

 emarginate, Air bladder present. 



OSTEOGENIOSUS MILITARIS. 



Silurus militaris, Linn. Sys. Nat. i. p. 503. 



Arius militaris, Cuv. & Vol. xv. p. 114, pi. 430 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 259. 



Osteogeniosus militaris, Bleeker, Atl. Ich. iv. p. 46 ; Gunther, Catal. v. p. 181. 



B. v. D.i|0. P. to-Vt- v - 6 - A. 20-23. C. 15. Vert. Jf . 



Length of head £, of pectoral J, of caudal ^, of base of first dorsal ^3, of base of second 

 dorsal y\r, of base of anal \ of total length. Height of head \, of body more than \, of first 

 dorsal §, of second dorsal j^, of ventral \, of anal \ of total length. 



Eyes — Oval. Horizontal diameter \, vertical diameter jq of length of head, 2 diameters from 

 end of snout, 3£ diameters apart. 



Body broadest opposite the first dorsal. Width of head nearly twice its height, width of 

 interorbital space equal to half the length of the head. 



Gape of mouth extends nearly across the end of the head, which is obtuse, and cleft half 

 way from the snout to the orbit. Lower jaw slightly the shortest. Central longitudinal groove 

 having its widest portion not quite midway between the snout and first dorsal, it rapidly narrows 

 superiorly, but much more gradually inferiorly ; it is of a lanceolate shape, extending from the 

 snout nearly to the base of the occipital process. Occipital process nearly three times as high as 

 broad, roughened in longitudinal lines, and extending as far as the basal bone of the first dorsal 

 fin. Between the upper end of the central groove of the head and the base of the occipital process, 

 there are some very distinct elevated nodules, external to which are roughened lineated 

 elevations. Upper surface of orbits covered by a fleshy curtain. Nostrils large, approximating, 

 situated near the snout, the anterior round close to the margin of snout, the posterior one oval. 

 Maxillary barbel, long, flexible, compressed, and furrowed, becoming fine at its external point, 

 and extending slightly beyond the centre of the pectoral fin : from its posterior margin near its 

 root, extends a small triangular membrane, which is so short, that the cirrus cannot be extended 

 at a right angle to the head. 



Teeth — In the upper jaw in a band one-third as wide as long, not reaching the angle of the 

 mouth, but terminating near the root of the bony maxillary cirrus : they are small, placed close 

 together, and curved. In the lower jaw they are of the same description, but extend further 

 laterally, whilst there are none opposite the symphysis. On the palate they are obtusely conical, 

 placed in two large rhomboidal patches, wide apart, but converging posteriorly. 



Fins — First dorsal commences over the posterior extremity of the pectoral spine : ventral 

 opposite the posterior end of the dorsal : anal midway between the base of the pectoral and the 

 posterior extremity of the centre of the caudal : adipose dorsal opposite the centre of the anal. 



