THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 197 



Macropteronotus magur, Ham. Buck. pp. 146, 374, pi. 26. f. 45. 

 Clarias marpus, Cuv. & Val. xv. p. 378. 



Clarias magur, Cuv. & Val. xv. p. 381 ; Giinther, Catal. v. p. 17. 

 Clarias punctatus, Cuv. & Val. xv. p. 284; Cantor, Catal. p. 263. 



B. ix. D. 64-70. P. J. V. G. A. 50-53. C. 17. 



Length of head £ of the total length. 



Eyes — Situated in the anterior fourth of the head : diameter J of length of head : the distance 

 apart equals -} of the length of head. 



Mouth anterior and of moderate width. Head finely granulated superiorly, and covered with 

 a thin skin, its width opposite the gill covers equals two-thirds of its length. In the centre of 

 the helmet are two ovoid depressions, the anterior — which is the longest and equals about one-fifth 

 of the entire length of the head — is situated so that its lower portion is between the orbits : the upper 

 depression is half the size of the lower one, situated in the mesial line of the head, and opposite 

 the base of the pectoral fins. The occipital process is not prominent, and is rounded posteriorly. 



The maxillary cirri are thick and fleshy at their bases, rather more than one quarter of the 

 entire length of the fish, and extend to opposite the end of the pectoral spine : the nasal cirri 

 reach to the base of the occipital process : the outer mandibular ones are one-fifth and the inner 

 one-eighth of the entire length of the fish. 



Teeth Card-like, those in intermaxillaries forming a broad band which extends nearly as 



far as opposite the base of the maxillary cirri : those on vomer and palate form a villiform 

 crescentic band in width about equalling those in the intermaxillaries. 



Fins Dorsal commences at the neck and extends nearly as far as the caudal : it is rather 



highest posteriorly. The pectoral commences under opercle, its spine is strong, three-fourths the 

 length of the fin, and finely serrated internally, but the serratures are concealed in the skin. 

 "Ventral abdominal, commencing rather posterior to the end of the pectoral. Anal arises under 

 posterior extremity of first fourth of the dorsal. Caudal rounded. 



Lateral line — Nearly straight. 



Colours— Olive green above with purplish reflections, the body with lighter spots or blotches, 

 (in a specimen captured in Cochin, but since mislaid), and of a dirty yellowish white inferiorly. 



Cirri black. 



Is eaten by the Natives. Grows to ten inches in length. 

 Habitat — Fresh waters of India and Malaysia. 



* Clarias Dussumieri. 



Clarias Dussumieri, Cuv. & Val. xv. p. 382 ; Jerdon, Madras Journal, xv. p. 342. 



D. 69. A. 50. 



Head smooth. Pectoral spine denticulated. 



Teeth Those on the vomer like a pavement and placed in an arc-shaped spot. 



Colours — Greenish-black above, fading to greyish white beneath. 

 Grows to eight inches in length. 

 Habitat — Fresh waters of Malabar. 



