THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 251 



Branchiostegals, apparently four. Body much elongated. Eyes covered with skin. Nostrils double. 

 The deutal border of the upper jaw is formed by the intermaxillanes and not by the palatine bones, it is 

 protrnsible and overlapped superiorly in almost its entire length by a very thin maxilla. Teeth in inter- 

 maxillarics, mandibular, and palatine bones in several rows. Pectoral fins absent. Vertical fins adipose 

 and rudimentary. No accessory respiratory sac. The external branchial aperture single, transverse, and 

 situated on the lower aspect of the body ; the cavity not divided internally. No scales. The circulation 

 approaches to that of the reptiles, the branchial artery ramifying not only in the respiratory organs but 

 also on the head and in the brain. 



Synbranchus Bengaliensis. 



Ophisteknon Bengaliensis, McClelland, Cal. J. N. H. v. pp. 197, 220, t. 2, f. 1, 2 ; 



Kaup. Catal. Brit. Mus. p. 121, f. 76. 

 Synbranchus immaculatus, Cantor, Catal. p. 337. 

 Synbranchus Bengaliensis, Bleeher, Atl. Icli. iv. p. 119, t. 192, f. 1. 



Length of head ^ to yg in length of body. 



Eyes — Diameter about ^\j of length of head. 



Body much elongated, cylindrical anteriorly, compressed posteriorly. The girth of the body 

 is equal to about three times its height. The skin thin. 



Snout acute, anteriorly rounded, lips fleshy, the upper jaw rather the longest : cleft of mouth 

 extending to some distance behind the orbits. Nostrils placed between the orbits near to their 

 anterior superior margins. 



Teeth — Intermaxillary teeth conical, and do not meet at the symphysis, those on either side 

 terminating in a triangular patch with a narrow edentulous interspace ; those in the lower jaw 

 are rather larger, and there is a narrow edentulous interspace between those of each side, laterally 

 they are in a single row. Palatine teeth in a single row. 



Fins — The dorsal commences before the anal, which is situated in the last fourth or fifth of 

 the total length : the caudal is hardly conspicuous : all the fins are low. 



Lateral line — Conspicuous. 



Colours — Of a dull dirty brownish red in the estuaries of Malabar, lightest on the abdomen. 

 In clearer water it is greenish or blackish green, the abdomen being the lightest. 



Grows to several feet in length, and is not rare in the backwaters and estuaries of Malabar. 

 It also may be captured in the fresh water. It appears to be more common in Bengal. 



Habitat — Estuaries and fresh waters within the influence of the tides along the coasts of India 

 and Malaysia. 



Fam. LEPTOCEPHALIDjE. 

 Genus LEPTOCEPHALUS, Linn. 



Body soft, elongated, compressed, diaphanous, and scaleless. Vertebral column rudimentary and car- 

 tilaginous. Intestinal canal straight and tubular. Teeth present or absent. Vertical fins rudimentary. 

 Pectoral present or absent. 



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